Desidério Silva will be the next president of the Regional Tourism Authority of the Algarve (ERTA). The only voting list did not meet consensus, taking into account the five votes against and seven blank votes, as opposed to the 18 in favour, a situation devalued by the newly elected responsible for Algarve Tourism, who considered that this happened by his list “not be political”.
A result «within expectations» by Desidério Silva, who reaffirmed to journalists, moments after knowing the result of the vote, the non-political nature of the team he chose, as I had already said ao Sul Informação last week.
“I think [the lack of consensus] has to do with the fact that this is not a party list. It's a list of technical and business people and I think that's the reason. Which is absolutely contradictory», he considered.
A situation that the future president of ERTA considers grants him “very great freedom not to be subject to lobbies nor under pressure”. And he promises that he will "shake off" the region and defend it "with the Central Power and entities with responsibilities in tourism."
His entry into ERTA will mean the departure of the mayor of Albufeira, although it is not illegal to accumulate both functions, announced Desidério Silva.
“From the end of this month, I will ask for the suspension of my term. My mission here is full time, full dedication. As stipulated by the law, it will be my vice-president [José Carlos Rolo] who will replace me», he announced.
Desidério Silva is a mayor for the PSD, but guaranteed that he has the desire to work with all decision makers, regardless of their political orientation.
«I'm here more to unite than to divide and that's what I want to do. My colleagues [mayors], whether from the PS or the PSD, will be the first to make contributions in relation to the territories they have, to the enhancement of their products, to the complementarity that I find interesting for what is nuclear, which is the Sun , the Sea and the Beaches», he said.
As for the concrete objectives of his candidacy, Desidério Silva promised a detailed and structured presentation of his proposals for the inauguration day, which, despite still not having a defined date, should take place in early November.
But he left the idea that it is necessary to move with the region and pass the message "to the guardians", even more when a winter "which will be very difficult" approaches. "This is no longer a situational issue, it is structural and it is necessary to find continuity solutions," he said.
AHETA and USAL speak of "liquidation commission"
The elections this Monday also have to weigh on them the announced framework law for the Tourism Regions, which promises to revolutionize the organizational structure of these entities. A point that was raised before the vote by the president of the Union of Unions of the Algarve (USAL) António Goulart, who called the future management a liquidation committee, and was reinforced, on the sidelines of the session, by the president of the Association of Hotels and Touristic Enterprises of the Algarve (AHETA) Elider Viegas.
When asked whether he considered that the board that had just been elected was a liquidation committee, Elidérico Viegas considered that "everything indicates that it is." "As we know, there is a new law to be approved in the Assembly of the Republic shortly and that will imply that there are new elections", he referred.
If approved, this law will “completely alter the balance of forces”, today with a greater weight of public entities, so that the private sector will have a majority position. A decision that Elidérico Viegas applauds and considers that it is only late.
Desidério Silva recalled, for his part, that the law "has been coming out for a year" and that there is no scheduled date for its approval. “It was not me who marked these elections, nor promoted or accelerated them. There is a natural context, in which the president of ERTA ended his term and asked the chairman of the Board of the General Assembly [body of which Elidérico Viegas is the outgoing president] that elections be scheduled”, he recalled. “What the region cannot do is stand still,” he considered.
In addition, he guaranteed, he did not come to ERTA “for liquidation commissions nor to fire anyone”, despite the known budgetary limitations of that entity. «I came here depending on the budget and desires and on what is the value of the territory in other ways. (…) This house has many people here who have given and will give their best. Maybe, depending on the experience you have, they can be readjusted in the sense of a greater appreciation. The important thing is to wear the sweater. This is sacred», he warned.
The new team at the ERTA board
Desidério Silva, 61 years old, mayor of Albufeira since 2002, Duarte Padinha, 39 years old, director of the marketing department of Turismo do Algarve, Eliseu Correia, 44 years old, travel agent, Carlos Luís, 68 years old, travel agent and Ricardo Cipriano, 33 years old, general director of Castro Marim Golfe & Country Club, will be the effective ones.
The list also includes four alternates: João Paulo Sousa, 48, general director of Benamor Golf, Marina Leal Correia, 41, general director of the Portimão marina, José Procópio dos Santos, 55, chairman of the board of directors of the Luna Hotels group, and Ana Maria Rosa, 58, hotel director.
A Candidate list for the General Assembly, elected with 20 votes in favour, five against and five blank, is composed by João Rosado, 43 years old, who presides on behalf of the Association of Commerce and Services of the Algarve Region, Isolete Correia, 59 years old, representative of the Portuguese Association of Recreational Ports, and Laurentino de Almeida, 56 years old, who represents the Association of Non-Driver Car Rental Industry.
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