Despite abstentions from the Algarve’s spineless and democratically unrepresentative Social Democratic Party, a motion to end tolls on the A22 was approved at the Intermunicipal Assembly of the Algarve.*
The motion "For the suspension of tolls on the Via do Infante" was presented by the Left Bloc and was approved on April 26th, despite seven feeble abstentions from the PSD.
A Financial Times article today was all about the optimism of international investors regarding the return from investment in Portuguese bonds.
Philip Brown, a specialist in public debt at Citi Bank, says Portuguese debt is the only one in the eurozone with a return this year, at 3.9%, and sees "huge upside potential here."
The Maritime Police and specially trained Marines have been called in to help monitor Portugal’s beaches and to support port captains after the fifth drowning in just a few days over the long weekend.
From today, until the official start of the bathing season, police and Navy personnel will be helping out as a general warning has been issued about dangerous and unpredictable sea conditions.
A GNR patrol arrested a man who was stealing from hotel rooms in Albufeira.
The 31-year-old was caught after reports of thefts were acted on by a GNR patrol in the early hours of Wednesday, May 3. GRN personnel caught the man red-handed inside one of the hotel rooms.
Tireless Communist Party MP, Paulo Sá, has questioned the Minister of the Environment about a new hotel planned to be almost on the beach at Monte Gordo.
The council is all for the project and a green light is expected from Portuguese Environment Agency to allow the 'Meliá de Monte Gordo' hotel to be built.
Lagoa council solved the problem of local gypsy families, considered too unruly to continue to be housed in local council accommodation, by moving them to a landfill site on the outskirts of Porches, Lagoa.
The situation has been dragging on since early April when gypsy families were given use of council land in Porches without the consent of the President of the local parish council, Sr Luís Bentes.
The environmental organisation, Almargem, has organised a morning of activities at Lagoa dos Salgados between Galé and Armação de Pêra, the beautiful nature reserve that remains threatened by a 539 hectare tourist complex that includes hotels, golf courses and apartment complexes all authorised by Silves council.
On May 13th, a walk to look at the birds and plants (9:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.), and a rubbish collection drive will occupy the morning.
A Communist Party member of Cascais Council has been arrested and taken away in handcuffs for trying to protect an area of Ecological Reserve from bulldozers that had started to construct a car park.
Clemente Alves was at a demonstration to prevent the construction of the 200-vehicle parking area and denies resisting the police: he will appear in Cascais court tomorrow.
