Seven inmates of the Olhão Prison are, until 31 August, cleaning and clearing the road that connects Moncarapacho to Cerro de São Miguel.
This pioneering project took Miguel Freitas, Secretary of State for Forests and Rural Development, to Olhão this Friday, July 27th.
For the government official, this "trial" which is taking place in Olhão is an example to be replicated throughout the country. For Miguel Freitas, "this is an initiative with a very important symbolic load and which breaks down barriers", not only due to the intervention of inmates, but because "it puts the firefighters to do the prevention of forest fires, and not just intervene when the time comes for combat."
This action, which has been taking place since 9 July, is part of a more comprehensive protocol signed between the municipality and the prison, which has already led, in May, inmates to carry out a cleaning action on the Island of Armona.
This time, and as established in the Olhão Fire Defense Plan, one of the most critical areas of the municipality in terms of forest fire risk is being intervened, as explained by the commander of Municipal Firefighters Luís Gomes.
This becomes, then, a learning experience for the seven prisoners who make up this open regime brigade and who, at first, underwent initial training in the handling of machinery and safety rules at work, given by the municipal firefighters themselves. .
A very positive experience for António Pina, mayor of Olhão, for whom «this project not only helps to solve the problem of deforestation in the most problematic areas of the municipality, but also constitutes an investment in our community, as it contributes to for the successful reintegration of these inmates, many of them from Olhano».
There is the possibility of extending this initiative to the entire territory, confirmed by the director-general of Prison Services Celso Manata, who wants to see these inmates integrated after leaving the prison.
"Those who so wish, will be given the opportunity to pursue the career of forest sappers," he said.
In Olhão, once this pilot experience is completed, the results will be analyzed and the hypothesis of extending the project to other locations in the municipality will be studied.
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