The parliamentary group of Juntos Pelo Povo (JPP) has announced that it will present tomorrow, in the Regional Legislative Assembly (ALRAM), a protest vote against “the deeply anti-autonomist statements made by the Presidential candidate Admiral Gouveia e Melo.”
At issue are the statements the Admiral denying access to a ferry service between the mainland and Madeira because of the distance and cost, stating, ” I don’t think the ferry is a necessity.”
In a note sent this Monday to the newsrooms, the President of the parliamentary group and leader of the JPP says that “there are no coincidences and regrets that the admiral has violated the constitutional principle of territorial cohesion and combating social and economic inequalities, which for a candidate looking to be elected for the position of President of the Republic means that he has already failed the preliminary exam.”
“This Admiral has revealed himself to be a true anti-autonomist, and from this caste we already have too many people,” criticises Élvio Sousa.
“Instead of coming to Madeira to present solutions to the problems of air and sea mobility, such as the urgent return of the maritime line and the revision of the mobility subsidy so that Madeirans do not continue to be guarantors of the State, he came here to say that the maritime line, which is important to lower the cost of living, is not justified. Placing itself on the side, precisely, of the economic group that is opposed to the return of the ferry so as not to have to face competition, especially regarding cargo,” added a defiant Élvio Sousa.
The party leader also considers that Gouveia e Melo offended the people of Madeira and Porto Santo, revealing a profound lack of knowledge of the difficulties of the island peoples.
Élvio Sousa goes further and even says it is “unacceptable” that the candidate for the Presidency of the Republic defends the perpetuation of isolation by denying mobility alternatives that compromise the economic and social development of the Autonomous Region of Madeira.
This is not the only case; the president of the ADN party handed Admiral Gouveia e Melo a noose, which was quickly returned to him. The party stands against having military personnel in power. In a statement, they said:
“We bring the gift that the admiral himself asked for, in 2021, in case he changed his mind about getting involved in politics. And the question we ask is, what made you change your mind? We are completely against Gouveio e Melo’s candidacy for the Presidency of the Republic in the sense that military and power are an explosive mix.
Furthermore, Admiral Gouveio e Melo was also involved in the trial of the seamen who refused to sail as they considered their vessel unseaworthy. His actions towards the servicemen were not exemplary: Miguel Pita had this to say about him.
The way he treated the sailors shows us what he would be like as a leader. We do not want in power a man who stands as judge, jury, and executioner of young men who were in court acquitted of all charges laid against them.
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
