The Algarve Situation Report Wednesday 7th September 2022
by Mike Evans
Good morning, as we start to enter a cooler period we are pleased to report that the number of rural fires in the region are very small compared to previous months. Also some good news for the residents of the Vale De Venda,Near Loule, is that the refuse dump which had been burning since the Gambelas fire in July has now been extinguished. It is worth noting however, that whilst we are entering a cooler period of weather the ground is still very dry and we must all remain vigilant against the sudden spark which can start a fire.
In other news from the Region,
Portimao, has taken delivery of 10 new electric buses to work in and around the city.
The first ten electric buses that will reinforce the Vai e Vem – Transportes Urbanos de Portimão fleet start operating this Tuesday, August 30th. According to the municipality , this is “the first step of an ambitious project” that in 2023 will be expanded with eight more identical vehicles.
In the presentation of the vehicles, Ricardo Afonso, administrator of Sandbus Transportes, the Vai e Vem concessionaire, in partnership with Vamus Algarve , highlighted the municipal commitment to energy efficiency, considering it “an honour to start in Portimão, and in a massive way, the introduction of of electric vehicles in the Algarve region”, for which the company will invest around three million and 600 thousand euros.
Isilda Gomes, president of Portimão City Council, praised the company for complying with the rules of the tender, “which does not always happen”, and pointed out that this option results from the “paradigm shift in energy terms, of extreme importance at the time when that climate change is the order of the day.”
“From now on, 40 percent of the Vai e Vem fleet, made up of 26 vehicles, is already electric and when the remaining eight buses start operating, we will reach 70 percent, most likely a rare case in Portuguese municipalities” , stressed the mayor.
In his words, “this is a very decisive first step in the fight against climate change, as we have to look after the future and the future involves zero emissions.”
Each bus will have a range of around 280 kilometres, and an annual reduction in CO2 emissions of around 675 tonnes is expected to be achieved.
Man arrested with cocaine and heroin in Lagoa
A 40-year-old man was arrested on Wednesday, August 31, in Lagoa , for drug trafficking, announced the National Republican Guard ( GNR ). The arrest was made by the Faro Territorial Command, through the Lagoa Territorial Post, as part of a general policing action.
When the military inspected a vehicle, it was found that the driver was behaving suspiciously.
During this inspection, the driver was asked to get out of the vehicle and when he got up he ended up dropping the narcotic product on the floor, which led to a personal search and search of the vehicle.
116.30 doses of heroin, 69.35 doses of cocaine, 59.35 doses of crack, three cell phones and several SIM cards, a car and 1421.77 euros in cash were seized.
The suspect appeared for the first interrogation at the Judicial Court in Portimao.
Nine arrested for carob theft in Salir and Boliqueime
Nine men were arrested and another five identified on August 31 and September 1 in Salir and Boliqueime, in the municipality of Loulé , for theft of carob, announced the National Republican Guard (GNR).
150 kilos of carob were also seized, in an action carried out by the Faro Territorial Command, through the Loulé and Salir Territorial Posts, which arrested the suspects in the act, aged between 17 and 38 years.
After complaints about thefts of carob on agricultural land, the GNR went to the places described and detected the suspects in the act, later finding out with the landowners that the individuals were not authorised to collect carob beans.On August 31, the military at the Salir Territorial Post detained three men in the town of Besteiros, having seized 105 kilos of carob.
On 1 September, the military at the Loulé Territorial Post arrested six men and seized 45 kilos of carob.
On the same day, five individuals were also identified who were stealing carob, which was later handed over to its owner.The detainees were made arguidos and the facts were reported to the Loulé Judicial Court.
Rota do Petisco reaches 220 establishments across 11 Algarve municipalities
The 2022 edition of Rota do Petisco will take place from September 14 to October 16 with the participation of 220 establishments from 11 Algarve municipalities, the Albufeira City Council said this Monday .
Aljezur , Vila do Bispo, Lagos, Portimão, Monchique, Lagoa, Silves, Albufeira, Loulé, São Brás de Alportel and Tavira are the municipalities that will have establishments offering a snack menu (snack and drink) of 3.5 euros and a sweet menu (dessert and drink) at 2.5 euros.
The initiative, organised by the non-profit association Teia D’Impulsos (Portimão), is a cultural and recreational project that aims to promote local restaurants and commerce, as well as regional Algarve gastronomy, with a solidarity aspect this year. dedicated to youth.
In the European Year of Youth, the value of the passport that gives access to the event of 1.5 euros goes entirely to six institutions and projects in the region that fight social, racial and/or gender discrimination, promote the mental health of young people and encourage youth volunteering.
CCTV Cameras installed In Portimao and Praia da Rocha
The first 36 video surveillance cameras in Portimão and Praia da Rocha began to be installed earlier this month, the municipality announced.
The priority focuses on the entrances to the city and in the area of bars in Praia da Rocha, as defined in a study carried out by the Public Security Police (PSP) and after a protocol signed between the municipality and the Ministry of Internal Administration.
In Praia da Rocha, the cameras were installed on the pedestrian path next to the cliffs, from Rotunda da Fonte to Avenida Tomás Cabreira.The municipality is responsible for the infrastructure and the acquisition of equipment, whose network may be extended in the future to other areas of the city.
PSP will be the only entity with access to the images in order to guarantee the safety of people and goods, with a system that prevents the capture of images in sensitive places such as private homes.
The municipality assumed the full costs of 563,799.49 euros, which include the installation and maintenance of the entire system and the training of agents who will operate the chambers.
In addition to the cameras, wi-fi antennas were also installed, which will offer free internet access to the entire population and 50 kilometres of optical fibre throughout the municipality, which represents an investment of around 275 thousand euros.
GNR Arrest 9 People in Albufeira for Drug offences
Between the 1st and 4th of September, the GNR detained nine men aged between 20 and 41, on suspicion of drug trafficking, in the municipality of Albufeira .
In the course of several policing actions, the Guard ‘s military carried out police investigations that culminated in the arrest of nine men involved in the trafficking of narcotic products. These actions culminated in the seizure of various material, namely 158 doses of cocaine; 49 doses of hashish; three cannabis plants; a vehicle; a bag of plant substrate and three sprayers.The detainees were made arguidos and the facts sent to the Albufeira Judicial Court.
The actions included the reinforcement of the Public Order Intervention Group (GIOP) of the Intervention Unit (UI).