Africa-Press – Cape verde. The Sal Island City Hall and private companies announced on Tuesday the Controlled Construction Support Program, an initiative aimed at resolving the housing deficit affecting tourism workers on the island.
The protocol, involving the Oásis Atlântico and Odjo d’Água hotels and the Association of Owners of Tourism Agencies, Tourism Transport and Tourism Service Providers of Sal Island (APROTUR), arises as a response to the real estate pressure caused by the growth of tourism.
According to the mayor of Sal, Júlio Lopes, the program is based on three pillars: facilitating access to controlled costs, retaining qualified labor, and guaranteeing the social stability of the island.
“It is neither fair nor sustainable that those who work in tourism have difficulty living with dignity on the very island where they contribute to generating wealth,” said the mayor.
To make the project viable, the partnership model foresees that the city hall will provide land (ceded by the State) at no cost to the hotels. Furthermore, developers will benefit from subsidized interest rates on bank loans and exemption from customs duties on the import of construction materials.
António Lobo, representative of the Odju D’Água hotel, highlighted the urgency of the measure, revealing that many workers risk becoming homeless due to the conversion of fixed-income apartments into short-term accommodation.
“We are going through a crisis. Our employees have nowhere to stay. In a year, these houses have to be built; there is no other solution,” argued the businessman, noting that current salaries in the sector (between 35 and 40 thousand reais) are incompatible with the rents practiced in the private market.
In turn, the representative of the Oásis Atlântico group, Filipe Nazaré, highlighted the positive impact on retaining employees who come from other islands.
“They are the greatest force and lever that allows the hotels to shine. It is the first time that some will have a home, and this union will give them the conditions they deserve,” he said. In the same vein, the president of APROTUR, Inorlando da Luz, thanked the municipal initiative, reinforcing that the lack of housing is the main obstacle to hiring.
“There are never enough employees in the tourism sector because there is no housing. This project is an advantage for all of us,” he concluded.
With this program, the Sal municipality hopes not only to combat housing insecurity but also to curb the emigration of young people, offering them the conditions for a dignified life in Cape Verde.
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