The mayor of Olhão has called a public demo for tomorrow (Saturday) morning at 10am over the “Berlin Wall” that has divided his community, and set people slipping and sliding with the onset of autumnal rains.
In a statement laced with dramatic impact, mayor António Pina has been joined by his counterpart at the parish council, Luciano de Jesus.
The pair outline a “pacific manifestation” but urge “all citizens to show their indignation”.
Their press release proclaims: “Let us all undress our party-political colours and unite with a common objective in mind: the defence of the people of Olhão.”
The aggressor in this case is rail authority Refer, which recently closed the town’s Avenida Bernardino da Silva pedestrian crossing at nighttime.
Refer’s reasoning is that the crossing is potentially unsafe as it is not automated, and that there is a far safer one running underneath it.
But as Pina points out, the alternative, described by councillors as a Berlin Wall, is steep and slippery, and with the early rains could pose serious hazards to the elderly, handicapped and children.
Calling Refer’s action “manifestly damaging to the public interest”, Pina has been up in arms since the nighttime blockade was introduced last month.
“For a town without walls or barriers,” continues his exhortation to the populace. “The voice of reason has to be heard!”
Thus the demo is due to go ahead outside the municipal library tomorrow morning (Saturday).
For citizens who recently launched a movement for proper public consultation when it comes to council plans to gentrify the historic centre of town, the issue has been a godsend.
“It shows the council, finally, how things feel when other people make unpleasant decisions!” said a member of the ‘I Love Olhão’ campaign (see Facebook page ‘I Love Olhão’ for details).
