Francisco Tavares says that Brava Island is the “most damaged” by public authorities

The mayor of Brave, Francisco Tavares, defended today that the island of Brava deserves a different treatment from the Cape Verdean public authorities and thinks that all the other islands should show solidarity because “it is the most affected island”.

“Brava is an island that over the years, perhaps from colonial times to this part, things always happen later, in the last place and there has not been positive discrimination towards the island, so that the island can accelerate the pace of development and reach the average level of development of the islands as a matter of justice”, indicated the mayor.

Francisco Tavares warned that Brava is the only island with difficulties in connections throughout its history, because, as he warns, there is always a surge of confidence in maritime connections, although there have been “gains”, but then there are setbacks in this regard. sense.

Larger investments on the island do not exist

He also revealed that everyone who wants to visit should think twice or three times before doing so, maintaining that this "annihilates" any possibility of greater investment, of development.

Although he stressed that it should be "recognised" that the Government has invested in infrastructure, and supported the city council with more resources for investments.

However, he emphasized that "the time has passed to really attack the structural problems", pointing to the problem of transport, water and health.

As for water, the mayor says that the problem will be “solved in 2024” and as for health, he points out that the first stone of the construction of the new health center, with hospital facilities, will be laid in 2023, believing that in 2024, Brava will to have this “structural solved” problem.

poor maritime connections

However, the mayor stressed that all these projects could be “totally compromised, if the island continues without a definitive solution, consistent with the connection of Brava with the island of Fogo and the City of Praia”.

And, in his view, the “most viable solution” would be a smaller vessel and “solely and exclusively” destined for the Brava – Fogo – Brava connection, capable of adapting its schedule to the arrival and departure of flights from Fogo and until the arrival of other passenger ships from Praia to Fogo.

“You don't need to have one or two boats with a capacity for more than 200 passengers, but a boat with a capacity for 50 to 100 passengers, which can make the trip to the island of Fogo daily, creating confidence in people”, he assured.

attract diaspora

If this is done, the mayor says he has no doubt that Brava will have many visits, more investments, more job creation, which conveys more confidence, especially to those who visit the island.

He also highlighted the "great diaspora" that has many Brava residents of retirement or pre-retirement age, who "can and wish" to stay on Brava for more than six months and the other part of the year in the United States of America, but who have conditions exist for this to be feasible.

For Francisco Tavares, it would only take two to three years of this “very positive discrimination”, with much more investment via transfers to the city council and direct investments from certain ministries, and everything would be resolved.

With Inforpress