I learned early the difference between theory and practice. And to assess the consequences of decisions – whether or not they will achieve the expected results. And I learned to read alerts and assess probabilities.
On October 20th, I had a lecture/debate with those affected by the terrible fire in São Brás and Tavira. I heard terrifying details, of the inadequate functioning of those who owed and should support them, not just the firefighters. There were warnings of this risk, nothing was done.
A few days ago I offered four hours of volunteer work after the destruction in the parish of Pereiras, on the way out of the Algarve. There was no tornado there, just torrential rain, predicted weeks ago by NASA and Meteo three days earlier. The population was not alerted. No precautionary measures were taken in the municipalities. Nobody from Odemira City Council went immediately to see the damage. I'm an engineer: a bad dam built by the City Council caused the destruction of an olive grove and much more. The same happened six years ago.
The owners of this olive grove make extra virgin olive oil that has won three international awards! It is a family business that exports twice as much as it sells here. She is German, married to a Portuguese. She presides over a business club.
It's amazing how foreign mini-investors are treated by some civil servants and their bosses around here. Does the government know what is happening in the real world here in southern Portugal? Where is the Civil Protection that does not send alerts to the population, who always lose out in these disasters?
There are investors who lost a lot in fires and floods, more than once, thinking of suing local authorities and even the government abroad. The best thing for everyone is for the government to listen directly to those who have concrete suggestions on how to improve. For the suggestion not to become indignation.
The philosopher/journalist António Gramsci defined it as a crisis: “when the old has not yet disappeared and the new has not yet been born”. Isn't it time to act?
Author Jack Soifer is the author of the books "Empreender Turismo de Natureza", "Portugal Rural" and "Como Sair da Crise"
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