«My plans are very simple: to continue the good work done until today by my predecessors, not only Commander Rocha Pacheco, but also those who served before, and to honor the name of the Maritime Authority in the South region», he told the Sul Informação Commander Santos Pereira, the new head of the Southern Maritime Department, who took office yesterday, October 13th.
The captain of the sea and war Rui Santos Pereira replaced Rocha Pacheco, who gave him the testimony of head of the Southern Maritime Department, regional commander of the Southern Maritime Police, captain of the Port of Faro and local commander of the Maritime Police, in an official ceremony that took place next to the Captaincy of Faro.
Despite admitting that it is difficult for newcomers to envision what their role will be, the new commander says he is “aware of the responsibility now assumed, as well as the growing problems and challenges facing the Navy and the Maritime Authority today” .
The main ones are those that his predecessor already faced, as the captain Rocha Pacheco himself revealed in his farewell speech: an «exponential increase in drug trafficking», the occurrence of several coastal landings and the interception of a boat with migrants offshore.
«In the fight against crime, the regional command of the Southern Maritime Police was activated dozens of times, namely 75 times for the fight against drug trafficking. These actions, carried out in conjunction with the PJ and, many times, with the support of the Navy and the Portuguese Air Force, resulted in the seizure of several tens of tons of drugs, from dozens of vessels, most of them at high speed, and the arrest of dozens of people", described Rocha Pacheco.
In the «fight against illegal immigration by sea», the Maritime Authority means were «activated seven times», which resulted in «the apprehension of several vessels and dozens of people».
In the case of the outgoing commander, the pandemic was also a great challenge.
“I think we have given an effective response”, he considered.
Commander Santos Pereira now wants to continue this «good work», as he calls it.
“I'm not expecting anything new. I look forward to the problems that we have been facing and we are here to fight them, as has happened until today. We will always do our best to solve problems”, he said.
Despite this, plans are already in place for the near future.
"According to the instructions of the 2nd Naval Commander, Culatra's facilities are to be reactivated and recovered", revealed the new commander of the Southern Maritime Department.
Rear Admiral José Pessoa Arroteia, 2nd Naval Commander, who presided over the ceremony, pointed out not only this priority, but also «making interventions in the berths, ensuring the continuous effort of maritime surveillance, in close cooperation with the other competent entities, and continue the work developed to establish conditions for the use of unmanned aerial vehicles, including the implementation of a flight path at the naval support point of Portimão».
As for Commander Santos Pereira, the Rear Admiral is «sure that he will carry out his position with great competence and effectiveness, contributing to a holistic, useful, ready, focused, significant and technologically advanced Navy, at the service of Portugal and the Portuguese» .
Rear Admiral Noronha de Bragança, deputy director-general of the Maritime Authority, also does not doubt that the “capability” of the new commander and what he “has demonstrated so far”, in different roles, the most recent of which being director of the Instituto de Socorros to Náufragos, is a guarantee that the new commander “will do a good job”.
Photos: Hugo Rodrigues | Sul Informação
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