Foreigners' safety concerns 'a priority' for government

David Thomas, the president of Safe Communities Portugal, has signed an important protocol with the Home Affairs Ministry that will increase the security of foreigners living in and visiting the Algarve.

 

The Secretary of State for Home Affairs signed the collaboration to pave the way for an increase in targeted advice to foreign tourists to Portugal through the distribution of information leaflets and via information posted online as part of the government’s overall plan to help protect foreigners from crime.

 

The formal Protocol of Collaboration was signed by Secretary of State, Isabel Oneto and David Thomas of Safe Communities Portugal.

 

Thomas, a retired Briton living in the Algarve and the founder and president of the association, commented to Sul Informação, "the Algarve is a relatively safe region. In fact, Portugal has the lowest crime rate in Europe but there is still petty crime and we need to educate people to be more careful about their goods and property. The Algarve is a very safe place but there is always more we can all do to make it safer."

 

 

Isabel Oneto commented to the regional news service that the objective, "is to work with entities that are regionally integrated and that help us with our prevention and security policies."

 

Oneto said her ministry will be working with the association, as it,  “has a strong reputation within the foreign community - not just the residents in the Algarve but also the ones that visits us,” to ensure that more people use the association’s website to access security and safety advice.

 

David Thomas, a former deputy police commissioner in Hong Kong and a consultant to Interpol and the United Nations agency for drugs and crime, said that, "with this protocol, we can give more prominence and more publicity to security and civil protection issues by encouraging people to follow simple advice to increase their safety."

 

Thomas aims to achieve this by working with the Ministry of Home Affairs and with the country's various security forces, on an enhanced communications package for tourists so as to make their stay in Portugal safer.

 

The initiative also aims to promote dialogue with the resident foreign community in order to find out what most concerns people, as well as establishing greater interaction between the association and the ministry.

 

The Safe Communities website is not only for English speakers as the information is available in ten languages, including Chinese and Russian and now covers the Algarve, Lisbon and Madeira.

 

The Safe Communities Portugal website can be accessed by clicking here -

 

The association’s Facebook page can be followed here -
https://www.facebook.com/pg/scalgarve/posts/?ref=page_internal