A team of experts chosen by IBM has arrived in Faro to study the city and recommend improvements to the surrounding maritime economy and to the quality of life for those living and working in the Algarve’s capital.
The study of the existing infrastructure in Faro will take place over the next three weeks.
The IBM sponsored initiative is a prize, Faro is the only Portuguese winner of IBM’s Smarter Cities Challenge initiative. The consultancy provided by the specialist team would cost $400,000 if paid for.
The team appointed by IBM includes an expert in water management, a management consultant, an expert in human resources, and a director of a Centre of Excellence in service provision.
The team's mission is to work with professionals in Faro council, public agencies, local organisations and entrepreneurs in the Faro area.
On February 28th the team will announce its recommendations for improvements in the quality of civic life for the people of Faro.
Faro’s mayor Rogério Bacalhau said the main objective is to evaluate the benefits of "a public information system dedicated to intelligent processing of various data,” however his objective would seem already to differ from IBM's, or maybe he already is aware that this is what IBM is trying to sell under the guise of a wonderful prize.
Bacalhau is in need of a success story as having completed 100 days in office. His opposition in the council has launched a blistering attack on his performance, or lack of it, to date.
Faro Socialist Party members say Bacalhau shows a distinct "lack of initiative." In a formal statement the socialists reminded the mayor of his pledge of finding solutions for Faro and its population to improve the quality of life in the regional capital.
The socialists are miffed that any positive suggestions they have made are simply ignored, such as reducing rents from the social housing and forgiving debts of those who have no way of paying them off. "Housing debt has increased by almost 4,000% and now many Faro families are at risk of eviction. The majority of those also are unemployed and therefore have no income to pay for housing."
The proposal to pay small suppliers to whom the local authority owes under €5,000 so these firms can stay in business, has failed to happen.
Bacalhau wanted the top job in Faro and the IBM prize would seem a good way of introducing some sparkling new systems and initiatives under his leadership. He should not forget that the parties in opposition are there to highlight his weaknesses, working with the enemy within can lead to a more positive experience than by ignoring them, tempting as this may be.
