Loulé council has set aside €165,000 for local cultural and arts associations but mayot Victor Aleixo insists that the money is accounted for correctly using new council guidelines.
"This is a novelty in the cultural policy of the Municipality of Loulé. When we hand over public money we now are setting criteria for its allocation so that we can be fair and objective when handing it out.
We have adopted a new regulation governing this grant support and we aim to be as transparent as possible," said Aleixo.
Grant support will be allocate this year to the:
Sociedade Filarmónica Artistas de Minerva,
Associação Cultural de Salir,
Associação Amigos do Alentejo,
Associação dos Amigos da Cortelha,
Associação de Amizades dos PALOPS no Algarve,
Associação Amigos do Rancho Folclórico e Etnográfico de S. Sebastião,
Associação Artística Satori,
Grupo de Amigos de Loulé,
Associação Social e Cultural da Tôr,
Casa do Povo de Alte,
Grupo Cultural e Recreativo do Monte Seco,
Centro Social e Cultural Parragilense,
Fundação Manuel Viegas Guerreiro,
Associação Geonauta,
Núcleo de Loulé da Liga dos Combatentes,
Teatro da Estrada – Associação Cultural de Alte,
Casa da Cultura de Loulé
and the Ao Luar Teatro.
As for the management of these grants by their managements, the mayor said they can use the money how they want in pursuance of their aims but must account for it correctly or there may be no more next time.
The grant aid from the council includes logistics support for any events organised by the associations and even an offer of joint promotions where appropriate.
Victor Aleixo successfully has reduced Loulé’s borrowings since he came to power over 18 months ago and now has more freedom to support community groups with significant funds while setting sensible reporting criteria to the benefit of all concerned.
Comments
A new policy ? Why was Brussels not on top of this madness 20 or more years ago ? Letting Portugal manage itself over these years has resulted in the lunacy that is Portugal today.
Italy - the home of Latinoism - always stresses that organised crime is 'outside' the system of governance. Politicians actually campaign on a ticket of being 'non Mafia'. And the police routinely announce they have arrested another semi-literate goatherd who is in reality ' the Mafia Godfather of that region'.
Organised crime in Portugal though is embedded in the system. Without corrupt bungs and backhanders you cannot progress.
Punishing Socrates is an absurdity because, over the years, all Portuguese at any level will all have had their scams going. And all would not have hesitated to bung the headman a few bob to get some issue smoothed out. Or know someone who had.
Just as Socrates was happy to pay out on his way up the ladder.