The assumption that in a democracy, governments do the best for their electors seems a joke these days. The best example is the revamping of the Algarve’s EN125 which is using a totally outdated technique and is increasing, not limiting, the number of accidents in the Algarve.
In the meanwhile the broad and expensive A22 is almost empty and is being used less than ever.
Such is the importance of this event, the road concession holder Rotas do Algarve Litoral is to hold an official re-launch in Lagos to be attended by the Minister of Infrastructure, Pedro Marques and hosted by Rui Sousa from the company.
Marques is the minister whose vagueness over start dates has become legendary ever since work on the EN125 was suspended at the beginning of the 2016 summer tourist season and failed to re-start when the traffic volume fell in September.
Loulé council has signed a deal to renovate the historic Palácio Gama Lobos in Rua Nossa Senhora de Fátima. The contract runs for 18 months and will cost €1.3 million.
The Palácio Gama Lobos is one of the most important buildings Loulé has to offer. The historic part is Pombaline, from the second half of the C18th, and it is this section that needs the renovation work. The other part is an extension from the beginning of the C20th and currently is used for various indoor sporting activities.
Interflora is to enter the Portuguese market aiming to sign up 150 - 200 florists to privide a nationwide service.
The international network of flower shops wants full distribution and estimates that this number of partner florists should be sufficient to enable its worldwide brand to succeed in the Portuguese market.
Prime Minister António Costa is is India drumming up trade and signing agreements duringa seven day State visit. One agreement is that India and Portugal will work out a co-production agreement in the film sector to run for a fixed period.
A further agreement between the public broadcasters of both the countries to share best practices and cooperate in technical and content related matters also was discussed at a meeting in New Delhi between India’s Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting, Col. Rajyavardhan Rathore, and Portugal’s Minister of Culture, Luís Filipe Castro Mendes.
Deepening concern over the possibility that the US vulture fund, Lone Star, may gain control of Novo Banco, unions and left wing luminaries are increasing the pressure on the government and the Bank of Portugal to opt for a "transitional nationalisation."
The National Union of Banking Staff and Technicians has added its influence to those calling for an end to the current long-running and seemingly haphazard negotiations that have seen Portuguese contenders drop out of the running, China’s Minsheng head the list only to fail due to a lack of funds and now, Lone Star, in the front running despite its track record of buying undervalued assets and selling them on as soon as it can sniff a decent profit.
Four Portuguese nationals have died in France after a coach left the road. A further 28 Portuguese were injured, among them a child of two years of age, in an accident early on Sunday morning on the RN79, the notorious ‘road of death.’
The coach was taking Portuguese workers back to Switzerland after the holidays but left the road in Charolle, in eastern France at around 04:30 at a time when the road was especially dangerous due to sub-zero temperatures.
Portfuel, the company owned by Algarve millionaire Sousa Cintra, has little chance of winning its legal challenge to recover costs after the government acted to cancel its two onshore oil and gas exploration and extraction licenses.
The pugnacious Portfuel boss obtained the concession licenses under highly suspicious circumstances as his newly formed company lacked the necessary three year trading and safety record, was the only bidder and was handed the concessions on a plate.
