By: Silvana Gonçalves
Africa-Press – Cape verde. A few days before Municipality Day and Nhu Santo Amaro Abade, patron saint of Tarrafal de Santiago, which is celebrated on January 15th, the president of the Municipal Chamber, José dos Reis Varela, addresses everyone in an exclusive interview with Asemanaonline the people of Tarrafalenses in the country and in the diaspora words of hope for a bright future for the municipality. A future that, according to the perspective of the mayor who will run for office again in this year’s elections, will be one of better living conditions for all the children of Santo Amaro, as he trusts in Tarrafal’s potential to transform itself into an economically and socially developed municipality. “The tradition of devotion to Santo Amaro is based on hope and trust. These are the two words we address to people at this time”, says Varela. Still in this interview, the mayor announces the resumption this year of the ancient tradition of horse racing, on January 15th, which he considers to be one of the highlights of this year’s festivities, which are also being marked by several inaugurations that are they add to the structural work of the Bus Terminal already handed over to citizens. Check out the following interview about the strong political and cultural movement currently taking place in Tarrafal, which, according to Varela, is fundamental to the development of this municipality.
The celebration of Municipality and Santo Amaro Day 2024 has already started to move the city of Tarrafal.
– Yes, clearly. The movement of emigrants who come during this festive season and take the opportunity to take care of their business in the City Hall and on the banks, of the stallholders who have set up the Feira de Santo Amaro, since January 8th, of the tourists in greater numbers this year, taking advantage of the climate extraordinarily hot that makes itself felt…. Finally, baptisms and weddings as always happen around Santo Amaro. Yes, the movement in the streets is notable.
Strengths of the festivities and central act
What are the strong points of this year’s party?
– The Santo Amaro Mass, on the morning of January 15th, and the Festival on the 12th and 13th are the two times with the greatest crowds of people. There are many thousands, coming from all the municipalities of Santiago and abroad. We also have the Solemn Session of the Municipal Assembly, on January 12th, and the inauguration of the photographic exhibition on the Centenary of Amílcar Cabral, which will be opened by the President of the Amílcar Cabral Foundation, Pedro Pires. This year we resume the old tradition of horse racing on January 15th, which also brings together a lot of people. We will also have the usual Emigrants Meeting, in Trás-os-Montes. This festive season we also have several openings. All these events help to liven up the party.
What is planned for the solemn event on Municipality Day and who will preside over the ceremony?
– The Solemn Session of the Municipal Assembly always has many guests, including the mayors of the island of Santiago, and, sometimes, of other islands, and also the living forces of the municipality. It will include, as usual, interventions by political parties and citizens’ movements with seats in the Municipal Assembly, the Mayor and the President of the Municipal Assembly. This year’s special guest is the President of the Republic, who is a great friend of Tarrafal and always does his best to participate in the Santo Amaro festivities, and who will certainly also bring reflections on the exercise of local power in Cape Verde.
Works to be inaugurated and message to residents, emigrants and festival-goers
What works will be inaugurated during the festival?
– The Santo Amaro Festival program starts in December, sometimes lasting until after January 15th. We will have the inauguration by the Minister of Energy of one of the electric car charging stations next to the tourist area, and of the Tourism Office. After the festivities we will also have the inauguration of the Polidesportivo de Monte Iria and the Polidesportivo de Ponta Rubera. We will also have the inauguration of urban requalification works in Ribeira Prata and Largo de Santo Amaro, in the city of Tarrafal.
What message do you send to emigrants and people coming from other municipalities in Santiago to celebrate the municipality’s Patron Saint (Santo Amaro)?
– The tradition of devotion to Santo Amaro is based on hope and trust. These are the two words we address to people at this time. Hope that our dreams will come true and a great faith in a future of better living conditions for all the children of Santo Amaro and Cape Verde. A very clear hope that Tarrafal can play an important role in the development of Santiago, bringing balance between the north and south of the island, greater quality of life, opportunities and initiatives for Santiago Norte. And Confidence in the potential that Tarrafal holds as a municipality that can become a land of economic and social development, that values all the cultural and environmental potential it has and, above all, a land that has people capable of fighting for their ideals, in addition of trust in the team that currently runs the municipality and that has already demonstrated that it is possible for Tarrafal to make up for much of the lost time, as we have already shown that we have new ideas that can create new opportunities and reveal new potential and that we work in a serious and dedicated manner, which is the key that opens the doors of the future.
Performance of the City Council and inherited situation
With less than a year to go before the end of your mandate, what is your assessment of the performance of the team you have managed to date?
– An honest general assessment of the results achieved must begin by analyzing the context in which we began the mandate. We were in the midst of a crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, so it was necessary first of all to reverse priorities in order to help a population punished by months of imposed inactivity and reduced access to income and opportunities to obtain resources.
Our emigration helped for many months, but of course this situation could not last. Here I must remember a moment that remained in the memory of all Cape Verdeans, the revolt of the saleswomen during the attempt to cancel the Fish Festival, in 2021. This was the first opportunity that opened up for many families to obtain some income, after more than a year of closure. The frustration of expectations at the moment generated an impulse of revolt that was difficult to contain. We also inherited a city council without projects, just with large debts to banks, the tax authorities, the public administrative sector and the private sector. The only positive legacy was the expectation generated by the long-awaited change.
Our first measure was to relieve families of the stress of the cost of school transport, reducing the price by 50% and creating new lines. Education is an absolutely untouchable asset for Cape Verde. Secondly, we took the opportunity to invest in urban and environmental requalification work in rural and impoverished areas, contributing to a fairer redistribution of resources, where it was most needed. At the same time, we resumed work on the Casa do Pescador and created the Bus Terminal project, jobs and operating conditions for many fishing families and those in the transport and commerce sectors. And we started the environmental requalification of the city of Tarrafal, preparing it to be the tourist city we want, with the planting of trees to have lots of green and lots of shade on the city’s streets, and the requalification of the city’s historic center, which will bring more sidewalks, more pedestrian traffic and fewer vehicles. It is also worth highlighting the support for agricultural producers and livestock breeders and the creation of a calendar of cultural events, taking advantage of pilgrimages in all locations to promote business opportunities for workers in the informal sector. Finally, we have been diligent in facilitating investment by both emigrants and other entrepreneurs who choose Tarrafal to create new ventures. All sectors are covered, from fishermen and farmers to investors in the production of aggregates for construction, which will relieve our beaches and riverbanks from sand extraction, to investments in tourism, accommodation and leisure, which generate jobs and income for families and young people aspiring to the services sector.
Structural works carried out and in progress
What major structural works has Tarrafal City Council carried out so far in the municipality?
– The first structuring and visible work was the city’s Bus Terminal, conceived as a model of environmental requalification, containing a community education module for the quality of life and urban aesthetics of a city that wants to be welcoming and demanding in the occupation of urban spaces and also created an image and a projection of new centralities, which are already being born. Another project is Casa do Pescador, designed to transform the city’s seafront, in which artisanal fishing and tourism come together and intertwine in harmony. The project to requalify the pier and its surroundings, financed by the World Bank, will continue this proposal for a modern, adequate and functional urban arrangement. The third structuring intervention has to do with the idea of Tarrafal having several attraction spaces and not just one. Bringing Baía de Fazenda, once forgotten and abandoned, to tourism, requalifying and valuing Ribeira da Prata and Cuba, as well as Achada Tenda or Ponta Furna are strategic decisions for territorial diversification and opportunities for the populations of Tarrafal. Access to the Alto Mira ZDTI, a project recently completed with Government funding, is also structuring for the municipality, as it opens up prospects for large-scale investments. The requalification of the city’s historic center and the drainage of surface water are upcoming projects. We have also started discussing with the Government the continuation of the work to requalify the seafront and restore the beaches, with a view to making Tarrafal a strong tourist destination, with a robust offer capable of boosting the entire island of Santiago.
What other projects or works are underway?
– The works on the Commerce and Leisure Pedestrian Center in the city will be resumed in order to achieve this new centrality, the same is to say for the historic center. We have just secured financing for a health infrastructure for Achada Tenda, which will serve the entire region. We will continue the works in Ribeira da Prata, at Fazenda and begin the construction of an administrative unit in Achada Moirão to begin a new phase of administrative deconcentration within the municipality. We have more projects in mind, but first we need to mobilize resources, inside and outside the country, which takes time and also requires resources. But we don’t stop in the face of difficulties, we will find a way to make it happen.
Relevant measures taken and relationship with the central government
Highlight relevant measures taken in different areas
– In the social area we have three priorities: the first is to support families in their children’s schooling. The second priority is families with disabled children and bedridden patients, who are very fragile and experience increased difficulties. The third priority is the elderly, particularly when they have problems with adequate housing. Any of these areas requires a lot of resources and it is a challenge for a municipality like Tarrafal to be able to deal with all the problems. In this aspect, we believe that the State should collaborate more with the municipality, which has to bear heavy responsibilities that are a constitutional obligation of the State. Another line of action is the empowerment of families, guaranteeing access to micro-finance for AGR (Income Generating Activities). A financing line from OMCV-Crédito has been working well through a Guarantee Fund financed by the Tarrafal City Council. In the areas of agriculture, fishing and commerce, the City Council has been finding ways to support professional activities that generate income for families. In the same vein, we will inaugurate the Young Employment Center in the next few days. Our strategy is to automate whenever possible. We have a social store to support extreme situations, but it is not our policy to distribute bags of rice!
What has the institutional relationship been like between the Chamber and the central government?
– We chose the Government as our main working partner. We have shared responsibilities, assigned by the Constitution of the Republic. We know that the bulk of these responsibilities are attributed to the Government, even when in practice they are carried out by the City Council. When we think that the distribution is not being done fairly, we have no problem openly saying what we think. In fact, we always take the initiative to schedule meetings with the Government to discuss issues. We get in the car, go to the city of Praia, sit at the table with the Government and discuss, with arguments and data. We have no problem speaking, precisely to avoid being suffocated. We chose not to fight with anyone on public roads, unless in a very extreme situation, we hope it doesn’t get to that point. All municipalities in Cape Verde know what a financial hardship it is and they all strive to continue playing their role, but it is clear that they will do it better if they have the means to do so.
Re-candidacy and challenges for Tarrafal
What motivates your re-candidacy for Tarrafal City Council in this year’s local elections?
– We are all aware that the work has just begun, taking into account a very short first term due to the incidence of the pandemic crisis, the global crisis, the rise in prices, the increase in debt in banks following the lay-off , etc. It would not be honest, nor a wise decision to leave the work just started. It is with this spirit of mission to be fulfilled that we must face the People of Tarrafal to account for the work done, under the restrictions we had, and show our willingness to continue, if the people so understand.
What could be the main challenges you will face if you are re-elected?
– The idea of empowering people, families, guaranteeing opportunities for young people, creating a space for initiatives that can bring income, well-being and dignity for everyone continues to be a great goal for Tarrafal. In other words, make Tarrafal a land of prophecy fulfilled with all its much talked about potential. Said like that, it seems easy, but overcoming the problems of poverty and achieving economic success is not something that can be achieved in a short period of time, we know that perfectly well. What is the formula? Every day that God puts on the cross, we are there with the same determination, asking for wisdom in the morning to do better and better.
What message does it send to resident Tarrafalenses and those in the diaspora about the future of their municipality?
– I like the idea that the people of Tarrafalense now feel more confident and proud of their land, its name and its perspectives and that they believe that it was necessary to change, and they did it well, choosing change. Without a doubt, we must continue to believe. This is the lesson we must learn from our lived experience. I say to our emigrants that they come and invest in their land and their future. The better Tarrafal is, the more they will enjoy coming back, bringing their children and grandchildren to see it and the happier they will be.
Asemana
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