Lagoa council solved the problem of local gypsy families, considered too unruly to continue to be housed in local council accommodation, by moving them to a landfill site on the outskirts of Porches, Lagoa.
The situation has been dragging on since early April when gypsy families were given use of council land in Porches without the consent of the President of the local parish council, Sr Luís Bentes.
The families had been given an old landfill site, now covered, but with gas outlet pipes in place to stop the build-up of pressure, by the President of Lagoa Council without consultation with the parish council or the opinion of residents.
The gypsies have been placed in an area that the council knows to be an old rubbish dump which, locals say, is hardly a ‘humanitarian gesture’ due to the possibility of the land caving in as organic rubbish rots, and the presence of toxic gasses.
The GNR has been called to the place by concerned locals but they say nothing can done under the law as the land belongs to the council, so only if the council complains can the GNR do anything.
An official complaint has been filed at the council offices by a resident, Mr Veen. This has been ignored. On returning in person to the council offices, the resident was informed that the president and the vice president were not there, so he was allowed to meet the councillor, Anabela Rocha, who, “was quite arrogant and indifferent,” although she did promise to find a solution after consulting the president of Lagoa council.
The solution was to move the gypsies 100 metres to a fenced in plot, still in the area owned by the council, where she said they could stay until the council found a solution.
With the council adopting a policy of 'communication lock down' over this matter, it remains responsible for the welfare of these families that are being accommodated in dangerous conditions.
A long-running lack of cooperation between the parish and city council in Lagoa has not helped matters with the safety of the gypsy community being compromised as ‘collateral damage.’
With the autumn local council elections looming, the council's mayor, Francisco Martins, has alienated voters local to the Porches site and with the continuing lack of cooperation between council and parish, these gypsy families appeared, until today, to be prepared for a long stay.
However, a GNR raid discovered what locals were certain was the case. Dozens of items stolen from local properties were hidden at the makeshift camp and the gypsies now have fled the scene.
The councillor, Anabela Rocha, miraculously now is happy to be in contact with those who have been complaining at the location of the camp, and also at the rise in theft from properties in the immediate area.
The makeshift camp structure has been removed, the gypsies have fled and the GNR now is preparing evidence to help in a case against suspects who are no longer there.
