Brava: Non-compliance with dates for carrying out technical inspection of cars generates discomfort among drivers

The drivers today asked for "more consideration and respect" for the citizens of Brava, criticizing the services provided by state entities, especially those that do not maintain a permanent physical presence on the island, and that travel there periodically to provide services.

This appeal was launched to Inforpress by drivers who expressed their dissatisfaction with the non-compliance with the dates stipulated by the Technical Inspection of Automobiles of Cape Verde (ITAC).

Gelson Silveira, a driver on the island, said that information broadcast on the radio today showed that the ITAC, which arrived on the island on the 8th of June, would remain on Brava until next Monday, the 23rd.

However, the same source said that today they had the information, according to which, the team was only working until the end of the day on Wednesday, a fact that generated a “great tension” between the drivers, who were concentrated in front of the machine. inspection.

“This is an abuse, how come on an island like Brava, where there is no shop selling parts, or anything, depending on the island of Fogo and the island of Santiago, (...), the ITAC service indicates a date limit, in case 23, and today it announces that the service will end, which implies a stop for many of us, heads of families”, considered the driver.

According to him, it is something that has to be revised, because “it is not right”.

“You have to have more respect for citizens, because at Brava we are used as if we were garbage”, he said, disgusted.
He also stressed that on the island of Fogo the situation is different, with the technical team staying there for more than a month.

“How come they arrive on Brava and stop for seven or eight days, why do they have to go to São Nicolau?”, asked the driver.

Another driver who showed his discontent was Ideal Penha, corroborating the same opinion as Gelson Silveira, adding that in the case of people who have vehicles from the United States of America, they have to wait for parts from the USA and with the covid-19 pandemic " everything has changed".

According to the same source, this situation needs to be seen because when they announced a date, they should stick to it. “Isn't Brava also Cape Verde? Why do they have to abuse? It is our right, because we pay for this service and it belongs to the State”, he concluded.

Aside from this problem, professional drivers drew attention to the road situation on the island, which is in a bad state.

They denounced that the roads in the city of Nova Sintra “do not present conditions and are not safe, because they are full of holes”.

Contacted, the ITAC technicians stressed that since last March they had been on the island of Fogo, where they were detained due to the covid-19 pandemic and that they arrived on the island of Brava on the 8th of June, having started work on the on the 9th, but there was weak participation by those interested.

According to the technicians, in the first few days they carried out less than five daily inspections, a number that started to increase to 10 on the 15th and that today they carried out 29.

Taking this situation into account, they said that they will work until this Thursday, the 18th, and that they will then send the equipment to the island of São Nicolau, where they will provide the same type of service.

However, they stated that "nobody on the island will be left without having their cars inspected", indicating that for that purpose there is a representative of the Directorate-General for Road Transport (DGTR) on the island, who can inspect the missing cars and issue an authorization until the team returns to Brava.

MC/JMV

Inforpress/End