Five inmates of the Prison of Olhão (EPO) are since this Monday, 14th of May, cleaning the Island of Armona. Paulo Simplício, 48 years old, is one of them and confesses how it is “good to be out here and make our contribution to society”.
Shovels, hoes, rakes, garbage bags and gloves are some of the accessories that wait for EPO inmates on arrival at Ilha da Armona, before 9:00 am.
They start by cleaning weeping beds from the beaches (an invasive plant), but they will also cut branches of trees and greens. During their normal working hours, these inmates work in the open for two weeks, under the supervision of a prison guard and the support of employees from the Municipality and AmbiOlhão.
Paulo Simplicio is part of the EPO's work brigades. «Recently I was in the Regional Directorate of Agriculture participating in the Solidarity Gardens, I did paintings and now I'm cleaning the beach», he says.
This 48-year-old man, born in Olhão, is serving a prison sentence of five years and six months, but grips the hoe with energy to begin cleaning the weeping that stretches across the sand.
For having already served more than half of the sentence he was sentenced to, and for his good behavior, Paulo is in an open regime in the prison in Olhano, where he also works. Within the scope of the existing protocol between this institution and the Municipality of Olhão, it now participates in this cleaning action which, for António Camacho, councilor for the Environment, is nothing more than the connection of «two entities that, in partnership, develop initiatives with the objective of social inclusion of these people, but also with an environmental objective, giving more quality to our island».
According to Júlio Melo, director of the EPO, the relationship with the Chamber of Olhão could not be better.
«They sold the Chamber of Olhão to me as a monster inaccessible, but it's nothing like that. We have a great relationship and we are both working for the local community. In the works that we have done and in others that we are going to do, it is the Municipality of Olhão that supplies the materials, which is a great help», says the person responsible for the Olhão chain.
As for the Labor Brigade that is currently on the Island of Armona, testifies: "these men have already shown that we can trust their work and are getting closer and closer to parole," adds Júlio Melo.
The Municipality of Olhão, in addition to ensuring transportation, pays the salary for the work carried out on the island and AmbiOlhão provides support material and food to the 'employees' of this special cleaning.
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