It sure looks like they going to – if we do nothing … they will have won!
I am extremely disappointed because it appears that the majority of you just don’t give two hoots about the campaign to protect our Algarve coast.
A petition launched by an Algarve organisation against the exploration and extraction of oil and natural gas off the region's coast, planned to commence later this year, has already received more than 4,000 signatures.
"A disaster during oil or gas drilling or extraction will leave our marine flora and fauna vulnerable to the toxic effects" of this process, said the executive director of the Algarve Surf and Marine Activities Association (ASMAA), Laurinda Seabra, alerting the regional economy to the many potential negative impacts, particularly in the all important fishing and tourism sectors.
Oil and gas exploration in the Algarve is due to start later this year (2014) ... without much debate taking place. ASMAA team decided to run a debate with pro-oil and pro-renewables, to listen to both sides of the argument and to then publish it as a point of reference for interested parties.
At the end of the day, you can only make the right decision if you listen to both parties. Now its up to you to make up your own mind. We know were we stand and we SAY NO TO OIL AND GAS DRILLING IN THE ALGARVE. How about YOU?
The EU has adopted new laws in 2013 aimed at increasing the transparency of any of a EU members state (government) income from the oil and gas industry. This can be seen as a move that should be a game-changing breakthrough on corruption.
But in Portugal where corruption is rife and the goverment is well knowed for ignoring EU directives and laws ... we will have to wait and see but this gives us another avenue to ask questions, don't you agree?
Despite several requests for Financial Support and Partnership, a serious funding shortage is threatening the Say No to Oil and Gas Exploration Campaign in the Algarve.
The Planners of the "Save the Algarve from Oil and Gas Exploration" are making a final and urgent plea to all the people that have signed this petition to financially assist in bringing forth the planned campaign this summer.
RIGHT NOW THERE ARE 4500 JOBS IN JEOPARDY IN THE ALGARVE.
Is it right that they place so many individuals and families at risk of loosing their jobs and their sustainability?
Tell us what you would do if you could to put a stop to this situation.
It has been brought to ASMAA's attention that the Portuguese government has passed a new law on the 22 November 2013, under the guise of the European Commission stipulation of higher standards for health and safety mechanisms - ensure that the production of shellfish is 'fit' for consumption - and which has resulted in the immediate downgrading of many shellfish production areas in the Algarve.
RESULT - 4000 JOBS UNDER THREAT !
But ASMAA are not buying the Goverments reasons.CLICK HERE to read more.
I must say that when I first heard about the Gulbenkian Foundation, I was 10 years old and had just been exposed to their arts program. Since then I have been following “on-and-off” many of their initiatives. Like many others all over the world, I saw them through rose tinted glasses.
I loved what they appeared to stand for! As so often happens in life - and although Portugal is not my country of birth, it did nonetheless become one of my favourite holiday destinations after I relocated permanently to South Africa (I am Portuguese by birth).
