Algarve MP Paulo Sá has questioned the government about its unfulfilled promises of dredging the river Guadiana to enhance navigability and develop tourism, at least as far as Alcoutim.
The dredging was scheduled to be finished this year, but as the year is nearly over and there are no signs of any dredgers, he rightly has concluded that this is yet another promise made to the Algarve in the heat of passion, a region that is left again waiting at the altar.
In 2012 we were waiting for the results of an Environmental Impact Assessment which was completed in September 2011.
Then it was necessary to adapt the project, so the tendering would only be released in the last quarter of 2012, throwing the execution of work into 2013 to last about six months.Along the way various excuses have been offered and many rash promises made about the work.
Nothing has happened, "we are at the end of 2013 and the Government has not authorised the promised dredging of the river Guadiana , nor has it made any announcement on this matter," said Paulo Sá with a firm grasp of the saddening facts.
Like the EN 125 roadworks, the Algarve will just have to wait. The dredging project has been on the shelf for at least 20 years so another decade shouldn't be too much of a surprise.
