The Chamber of Barrancos (CMB) has not yet managed to start the bathing season of 2022 at the Municipal Pools Complex of the village that was scheduled for the last day 1 June.
At stake is the lack of lifeguards (NS) with accreditation validated by the Instituto de Socorros a Náufragos (ISN).
The municipality opened two contests that were left empty, having even increased the daily rate to be paid to professionals, but there are no interested parties due to the lack of professionals with a valid license for the current year.
The city council led by Leonel Rodrigues, elected by the CDU, already resorted to several associations linked to the sector, but the problem is the same in many municipalities in the country, there are pools and beaches with the concessions closed for lack of lifeguards.
in May, CMB opened the first contest, for the role to be performed between 1 June and 15 of September, that was deserted. Last Wednesday, a new tender was opened, having the city council raised the value to 60 euros/day and free accommodation, but the result is the same.
However, the solution is about 10 kilometers, across the border, in Encinasola, where there are two professionals with the course of “Aquatic Rescuersâ€, equivalent to swimmer-savior, but which is not recognized in Portugal.
The mayor of Barranques has a document prepared to send to António Costa, where he asks the Prime Minister (PM), one of two solutions is taken, as a measure of excess for 2022, until EuroVila Barrancos/Encinalsola is created, as a means of cross-border cooperation, let it be done: “the approval of an order that allows the role of lifeguard to be carried out by Spanish rescuers or that the ISN authorize the extension of the validity of cards expired in 2019 and 2020, because of the pandemic and has not been renewedâ€.
Has learned the Lidador News (LN), in a recent license renewal action that took place in Reguengos de Monsaraz, of 27 professionals who proposed to take the exam, only eight managed to revalidate the title. Given its geographical situation, of “encravado†next to the border with Spain, the case of Barrancos is very different, since any of the approx. 1.500 citizens of the municipality of Barrancos who wanted to enjoy a day of bathing in the swimming pool of Moura or on the river beach of Alqueva in Mourão have to go 50 kilometers, and more 200 to bathe in the waters of the Atlantic in Vila Nova de Milfontes (Odemira).
In the border village, people are already making fun of the situation, having Jacinto Saramago, author of the blog “Estado de Barrancosâ€, referred that “while in hospitals they are unable to complete scales, in swimming pools you cannot create the scaleâ€, concluded. “Comparing the reality of Barrancos with Encinasola, it's all funny. We have the Health Center, The School and the Pool and they have the doctors, teachers and swimmersâ€, says Jacinto jokingly.
Heard by LN, Pedro do Carmo, socialist deputy elected by Beja and chief of staff between 2001 and 2005, of the then president of the Chamber of Barrancos Nelson Brejano, justified that any of the recommended exception measures are acceptable and make sense. Despite having knowledge of the document of the municipality, I am available to interfere with the PM, to help resolve the situation.â€, finished.
Teixeira Correia
(journalist)
