The Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) remains frustrated at the government’s inaction in resolving the Ria Formosa islands’ demolition programme, despite claims that everything will be settled and the island conflict is over.
In a communiqué sent to the press, the PCP said it has lodged a draft resolution, "recommending that the government puts an end to house demolitions on the islands of the Ria Formosa," in particular, those announced for the beginning of November 2018 in areas of Farol and Hangars on the island of Culatra.
The PCP notes that "the Socialist Party and its government insist on moving forward with the demolitions".
In recent days, "the owners of housing in the settlements of Farol and Hangars have been receiving notices from Polis Litoral Ria Formosa that it is taking administrative possession and will enforcement the demolitions of their houses,” says the PCP.
Last Saturday, September 22, a delegation from the Communist Party visited Farol and Hangares, at the invitation of the ‘No to Demolitions!’ movement. Once again, the politicians noted "the deep revolt of the residents before this new offensive from the Socialist Party PS and its government, "which aims to continue a process initiated by the former PSD/CDS coalition government of expulsions from the local communities of the islands of the Ria Formosa.”
Under the pretext of the, "supposed intention of 'renaturalising' the barrier islands," the government intend “to prepare the way to deliver one of the most valuable areas of the national coastline into the hands of greedy private interests which will exploit this valuable natural heritage to their advantage while sacrificing the rights of the inhabitants, their way of life , their work and the conservation of nature.”
By restarting the demolition programme, "the Socialist Party and its government are betraying the commitments and promises made to the local communities of the Ria Formosa islands," says the PCP, correctly pointing out that, "when the previous PSD/CDS demolition programme was debated, the opposition Socialists voted in favor of proposals to put an end to this process.
The government, through its MPs, mayors and local leaders, "tries to pass on the idea that these will be the last demolitions, but we all know that following these new demolitions in Farol and Hangars, will come other demolitions in these and other settlements until nothing is left.”
The Communists say that they are "on the side of the people in their persistent and courageous struggle against demolitions," for the upgrading of all the settlements on the islands, and "for the defence and preservation of natural values and for the valuing of productive activities in the Ria Formosa."
The main problem the Communist Party has is João Pedro Matos Fernandes, the Minister for the Environment, who says one thing and does the opposite.
Whenever the Ria Formosa island struggle hits the headlines and Fernandes is splashed across the front page, he cries that demolitions will end, then continues as before, nibbling away at property after property using an ever shifting range of excuses.
When João Pedro Matos Fernandes worked as a senior technician of the Coordination Commission of the Northern Region, he also was a consultant at Quartenaire Portugal, becoming a director in 2009.
Quarternaire Portugal, Consultoria e Desenvolvimento, SA is mainly engaged in environmental and related studies, one of which was the basis of the ‘POAM Vilamoura-Vila Real de Santo António,’ the very plan that lays out a strategy for demolishing the properties on the Ria Formosa islands.
Far from these sorts of studies being carried out by reputable and independent University experts, the government is obsessed with rewarding its card-carrying members by dishing out contracts to their private companies, according to Algarve blog, Olhão Livre.
Quarternaire’s 224 State contracts are listed (HERE)
Those commissioning and paying for reports have an influence on the results and recommendations.
The current Minister of the Environment was involved in and profiting from this consultancy as it provided environmental studies whose advice and recommendations he now is following as a Minister of the State - why wouldn't he, his company was responsible for writing them.
This background explains many decisions and positions taken by João Pedro Matos Fernandes who is pro the demolition of island properties (while pretending he isn't), who allowed the Tagus River to become polluted - until images of foam hit the TV screens - who wants the Galp-ENI oil drilling to go ahead off Aljezur without an Environmental impact Assessment and who has taken (until now) inexplicable stances on many other environmental issues.
For those that read Portuguese, see ALGARVE: MINISTRO P`RA RUA!
