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O Presidente da Região de Turismo do Algarve, o Presidente da Associação Sindical dos Funcionários de Investigação Criminal da Policia Judiciária e o Presidente da Safe Communities Portugal convidam-no(a) a participar na conferência “Um alerta para a fraude online na indústria do turismo”, no dia 9 de novembro, entre as 09h30 e as 17h30, na Escola do Turismo de Portugal, em Faro.

O objetivo desta conferência é oferecer uma perspetiva sobre a forma como a fraude online afeta a indústria do turismo em todo o mundo, tornando-se um alvo apetecível para os cibercriminosos, que atuam em áreas como o arrendamento, os websites de viagens, a venda de bilhetes de avião, entre muitas outras.

Na conferência serão abordadas as ameaças ao turismo e as medidas que estão a ser tomadas em Portugal para identificar os riscos e reduzir os efeitos.

Este será o primeiro evento no Algarve sobre este tópico específico, o qual esperamos que ajude na sensibilização para estas novas ameaças e promova a partilha de conhecimentos e a troca de informação sobre as melhores práticas com o objetivo de reduzir os riscos no futuro.

A participação é gratuita mas está sujeita a inscrição até ao dia 6 de novembro através do e-mail: planeamento@turismodoalgarve.pt

Mais informações aqui.

The President of the National Civil Protection Authority (ANPC) has not yet been officially released from service by the Prime Minister despite offering his resignation on October 18 “with immediate effect. To the surprise of some ANPC staff members, Joaquim Leitão “is still on duty and doing daily dispatches,” according to Diarios de noticais.

“Despite the sense of mission and service that motivated me to take up this challenge, I feel that I have not met the conditions necessary to keep me as president of this noble house. For the same constraints of conscience and duty to the country, I request the termination of my service commission, with immediate effect, “Joaquim Leitão wrote in his resignation request.

No less surprising is the presence of the National Operational Commander (CONAC) of Colonel Albino Tavares, who in the report of the Independent Technical Commission is criticized for his role as coordinator of operations during the fires of Pedrógão Grande. Albino Tavares, who was appointed in the interim, by the former Minister of Internal Administration, is referred to as having ordered the communications operators not to register any more alerts on the ANPC time tape for “excess information.”

The delay in replacing these leaders is causing growing concern among some ANPC leaders. “There are several decisions that have to be taken as soon as possible, under the risk that the plans will not be prepared in time for the summer of 2018,” said one of these sources, highlighting “the case of air transport: the tenders should be launched this month!

The reform of the “organic model” of the ANPC is one of 43 proposals that the CDS sent Thursday to the prime minister. Assunção Cristas asked António Costa to “respond with fairness and speed to the victims of the fires and ensure a rapid reconstruction of the productive fabric”.

Escola de Hotelaria e Turismo do Algarve, in Faro.

9^th November 2017, 09:30 hours to 17:45 hours

Fraud affecting the tourism industry is one of the fasted growing crimes, involving villa-rental fraud, air-ticket fraud, fake food poison scams as well as others. Losses to potential holiday makers are considerable and are increasing, and the industry, including travel agents, hoteliers, villa letting companies and individuals who let properties all suffer as a result.

Tourism is increasing globally and Portugal is the choice for many, particularly from northern Europe. It is likely that fraudsters will take advantage of this trend, resulting in a further increase in this activity.

Safe Communities Portugal, Regional Tourism Algarve and the Judicial Police Officers Association have therefore planned this unique conference as a pro-active initiative to address these issues. The event will be officiated by the Secretary of State for Tourism, Dra. Ana Mendes Godinho.

This seminar will explore the threats to tourism posed and what steps are being taken in Portugal to identify the risks and reduce the affects. It will provide an opportunity for attendees to gain a greater insight into the problems resulting from such fraud, including the experiences of the local letting and management agents, who deal with victims.

The aim of the conference is to identify best practices, which can help the industry in creating awareness, enhance preparedness and thus put in place appropriate measures, to reduce these frauds in the future. This will benefit the local tourism industry here in Portugal and attendance will provide an opportunity to gain further information concerning this subject and what steps can be taken locally and internationally.

The seminar will aim at improving standards in the construction, design and management of websites and social media in the advertising of holiday accommodation and related services, to make them more resilient to fraud.

The conference will bring together around 12 presenters, who are experts from: the national cyber security centre Lisbon, police, a UK based international fraud expert, consumer organization, hotel, travel and property letting associations, and travel industries. There will be plenty of opportunity for the participants to ask questions.

Property letting companies, tour operators, property management companies and property owners who let properties are encouraged to the conference, which will be the first international conference of its kind to be held in Portugal – possibly Europe. The conference is sponsored by TUI and Escola de Hotelaria e Turismo do Algarve

This is a full day conference and entry is free. The event is in English and Portuguese. Registration is required by contacting planeamento@turismodoalgarve.pt no later than 6^th November.

The Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Development, Luís Capoulas Santos, said that “it may be possible to begin distributing food from Wednesday [October 25]” on the farms affected by the fires on 15th and 16th October in the North and Center of the Country.

These statements were made in Vila Nova de Poiares, after a meeting with local authorities and representatives of farmers in the municipalities affected by the fires, where the Minister of Planning and Infrastructure Pedro Marques was also present.

“Farmers have stored animal feed, but unfortunately the fires have destroyed those reserves, and that is why emergency solutions will be used to replace them,” said the minister, adding that five platforms will be set up for that purpose in Monção, Tondela, Vagos, Vila Nova de Poiares and Gouveia.

Luís Capoulas Santos also recalled: “We are in an extremely dry year, where the shortage of food was already very high, and part of the winter reserves were already being consumed. Now this tragedy has destroyed the rest and the pastures. ”

“There is a great desire on the part of all to work together as quickly as possible to relieve suffering and to revive not only hope but also life and the economy,” concluded the Minister, The aim of the meeting was to coordinate the logistics necessary to implement measures to support farmers, such as support for animal feed.

Three men and a woman suspected of kidnapping, assault, theft and computer fraud, where the victims were several French citizens, were detained by the Judicial Police in Viseu.

In a statement sent to the Lusa news agency, the PJ stated that, after attracting the victims to Portugal, detainees “resorted to violence, deprivation of liberty and fraud” to steal “large amounts of money from them.”

According to PJ, French citizens were contacted via the internet by the woman “who persuaded them to come and spend a few days in the city of Viseu for romantic dates.” Upon arrival, the victims were taken to a luxury villa “beautifully decorated, where four members of the group [aged between 22 and 61 years] were present using false names.”

“During the first day of each victim’s stay, the suspects obtained the victims credit / debit cards and their secret codes, then use them to carry out various withdrawals and purchases,” says PJ.

It says that once the victims realized what had happened and resisted they, “were assulted and locked in one of the divisions of the house.”

In addition to the arrests, the operation of the Directorate of the Judicial Police Centre resulted in the rescue of a newly arrived victim from France.

Various items and documents were seized from the homes of the suspects during searches.

The detainees appeared the court for first judicial interrogation and one of them was held in custody and another under house arrest with electronic surveillance. The remaining two are required to present to the authorities twice a week.

Following an 11 hour extraordinary meeting of the Council of Ministers, the Government today approved a National Strategy for Preventive Civil Protection, which defines as “essential” the prevention and combating of rural fires including as a “priority” the strengthening of professionalism and capacity building throughout the system.

“Civil protection is not just for after the calamities. Civil protection has to start with the information that is given from the school to each house, so that we can all be better prepared to protect ourselves from the risks,” said the prime minister , António Costa.

In addition to its focus on professionalisation, the National Strategy for Preventive Civil Protection will reinforce the role of the Armed Forces and Air Force in preventing and fighting fires.

Government will provide up to 400 million euros to rebuild homes, businesses and re-establish crops

Government has today decided a series of new measures following the fires

1. The State will become a shareholder of SIRESP, the company that manages the emergency communications network, and will take a majority position that will allow it to take control of the company.
2. Pedro Marques, Minister of Planning and Infrastructures, today announced a set of measures on communications in the event of catastrophe, which also include the acquisition of four new mobile stations with satellite links (currently only two), the hiring of a redundancy system with satellite connection, to ensure communications in the event of a failure in fiber optic cables – which has happened successively in the fires of this summer.
3. There will also be a “full cleaning up to ten meters” on both sides of the road and rail, amounting to 16.000 kms in the first instance.
4. There will also be incentives for the burial of aerial cables in the technical channels that exist on roads and railways, reducing the payment to Infraestruturas de Portugal, which manages the national road network and the rail network.
5. Measures already approved in the Extraordinary Council of Ministers that is taking place today. In addition to the Minister of Planning, Environment Minister João Pedro Matos Fernandes also announced the hiring of 100 new sapper teams – 500 people – joining the 292 that currently exist. The minister also announced the hiring of 50 new nature watchmen.
6. In terms of funds, Pedro Marques pointed to an investment of eight million euros in SIRESP, and 28 million in the cleaning of roads and railways. The Minister of Environment pointed to values ​​in the order of 20 million. Caldeira Cabral spoke in 35 million euros, using structural funds, over several years.
7. The Air Force will start managing the aircraft contracts involved in fighting the fires
8. Greater intervention will also be the Army, through the Emergency Military Support Regiment,
9. The Minister of Economy, Manuel Caldeira Cabral, announced that studies will be carried out to create a fuel market for bio-refineries capable of using the residues resulting from the cleaning of Portuguese forests. This model will encourage the recovery of forest waste, ‘thus creating an ability to develop a collection system, either by local authorities or by companies that wish to do so’.

30 Million for Reconstruction of homes

1. The Government stated it has decided to allocate € 30 million from the State Budget to support the reconstruction of homes destroyed in the fires and to provide up to 100 million for businesses. Plots of a support package totaling around 400 million euros, including social security and agriculture.

7. The Minister of Planning and Infrastructures, Pedro Marques, announced that the survey in the regions affected by the fires found that there are more than 500 own and permanent homes partially or totally destroyed, which will be supported, provided that the insurance does not pay up.
8. As far as business are concerned more than 300 affected, according to the same representative, the Government decided to “structure a system of subsidy of up to 100 million euros, with a view to supporting the acquisition of burnt equipment and reconstruction of installations “. There will also be a line of credit of EUR 100 million and an investment support system of EUR 100 million with 50 million Community funds. Again, at enterprise level, such support will only apply if insurance does not reimburse those affected.
9. At the level of Labour and Social Security, Minister Vieira da Silva said that about 5,000 jobs will have been affected, announcing a series of measures to promote employment, highlighting the support to the treasury to pay wages for a period of three months, “probably extendable”. Measure that can walk in the order of 13 million euros and will extend to the cases of employment at risk resulting from the fires last June in Pedrógão Grande.
10. For agriculture, Minister Capoulas Santos announced, support will be around 35 million euros, with two credit lines announced, one of five and the other of three million, for the installation of parks for depositing the wood and for commercialization wood at reasonable prices, respectively.
11. The official indicated that 15 million euros will be allocated to “tackle the most serious problems” of soil erosion and water contamination.
12. The Government will still support 100% of the losses up to five thousand euros of small farmers and “above this amount, 50% lost in everything that has to do with loss of machinery, equipment, facilities, stables, engines and crops such as vineyards, orchards and olive groves. “

“The total figures are in the order of 400 million euros. It is not enough, but they are close to that,” said Minister Pedro Marques at the second briefing of the day with the presentation of measures approved by the Extraordinary Council of Ministers that is taking place in the Palace of Belém, in Lisbon, to launch a “fundamental” reform in fire prevention and control systems and to adopt emergency measures to support fire victims.

According to the Minister of Planning and Infrastructure, the measures now approved for the recovery of housing and infrastructure of companies and municipalities, support for employment and the agricultural and forestry sector are “adequate for the scale of occurrences of the last weekend “.

At the first briefing, the Minister of Justice, Francisca Van Dunem, announced the creation of a commission to pay compensation to the families of the victims of the fires, which will have 30 days to establish the criteria, and then the Ombudsman will establish the value of compensations.

On 21^st Portugal the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, inaugurated  new ministers: Deputy Prime Minister, Pedro Siza Vieira, and the Minister of Internal Administration, Eduardo Cabrita, (replacing Constancia Urbano de Sousa) at a ceremony held at the Palácio de Belém in Lisbon.

The new Secretary of State for Civil Protection, José Artur Neves, and the new Secretary of State for Citizenship and Equality, Rosa Lopes Monteiro, also took office today.

Isabel Oneto and Carlos Miguel were respectively reappointed as Assistant Secretary of State and Internal Administration and Secretary of State for Local Authorities.

They were sworn in to the presence of the President of the Assembly of the Republic, Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues, and all the ministers of the Government, in a short ceremony held in the Ambassadors’ Hall of the Palace of Belém, which lasted about six minutes.

Also present was former Secretary of State Jorge Gomes – who was overall responsible for the civil protection department.

1. SITUATION

Following the information provided by IPMA, from Sunday, October 22, and until the end of the week, the period will be dry with increased temperatures, above average ​​for this time of year.

2. EXPECTABLE EFFECTS

Despite rain in some areas in recent days the conditions are favourable for the spread of rural fires should a fire start, as the country has experienced a long period of drought and there is also a large amount of material accumulated material that is likely to burn rapidly and violently in forest areas.

3. PREVENTIVE MEASURES

In view of this, it is imperative to avoid the risk of forest fires over the next few days. In accordance with the legal provisions in force and due to the extension of the critical period up to 31 October, it is not allowed to:

• Burn bonfires for recreation or leisure or for food confectionery;
• Use burning and combustion equipment for lighting or cooking food;
• Burning land or debris;
• Launch balloons with lit wick or any other type of rocket;
• Smoking or making fire of any kind in the forest spaces and crossing or surrounding pathways;
• Fumigate or disinfect apiaries with utensils that are not equipped with sparking devices.

In addition the ANPC states that some special precautions must be taken in relation to the predicted weather conditions, in particular as regards agricultural and forestry work:

• Keep machines and equipment clean of oils and dust;
• To fill the machines in cold and in a place with little vegetation;
• Keep all sparks carefully when handling them, avoiding them during periods of high heat.

The ANPC also stresses the need for everyone to adjust their behaviour and attitudes to the forest fire hazard situation that will occur during the next few days, stressing the need to be attentive, prudent and careful in the use and enjoyment of rural aareas.

All should respect the prohibitions in force and pay special attention to the evolution of the forest fire hazard for the next few days in the different regions of the country. To this end, they should seek information through the ANPC and IPMA websites

Mangualde, Viseu, 20 out (Lusa) – A Câmara de Mangualde agradeceu hoje “a imensa solidariedade demonstrada pelos cidadãos” após os incêndios de domingo e divulgou uma lista de bens considerados prioritários para responder às necessidades das vítimas das chamas.

“Neste momento são prioritários os seguintes bens: roupas de cama; atoalhados; roupas interiores (pijamas, chinelos de quarto, etc.); produtos de higiene pessoal, utensílios de casa (tachos, pratos, panelas, etc.)”, refere a autarquia.

A lista foi elaborada pelos Serviços Técnicos do Município de Mangualde, que estão a coordenar o levantamento de todas as necessidades da população mais afetada.

“Todos estes bens devem ser entregues na Loja Social ‘Mangualde Social +’, sita na Avenida Conde D. Henrique (Prédios da Rádio). Após a receção destes bens, e face à identificação existente das necessidades mais críticas, a Câmara Municipal fará chegar esses bens, diariamente, a quem deles necessitar”, esclarece a autarquia.

Nesta primeira fase de socorro, a Câmara considera que “não é oportuno a entrega de eletrodomésticos, móveis e outros equipamentos sem que antes se promova a reconstrução das habitações atingidas”.

No entanto, os Serviços Técnicos previnem que quem quiser doar bens deste género deve indicar “as intenções/disponibilidades para essas ofertas através do telefone 232619880 ou do email ssocial@cmamngualde.pt“. As dádivas de materiais de construção ficarão a aguardar um levantamento mais aproximado da realidade.

O município informa ainda que disponibiliza apoio psicológico a todas as pessoas “que tendo passado por uma situação traumática, necessitam de ajuda para a sua estabilização emocional, em virtude de terem sido confrontados com uma catástrofe, cujas consequências, pessoais e coletivas, são ainda difíceis de calcular e avaliar”.

RBF // SSS

Lusa/Fim

The following bulletin has been issued by the ANPC following contact today (20th October) with the IPMA taking into account available meteorological information:

 Saturday – 21 October, the occurrence of slight rainfall, from 00:00 and 12:00.hrs A decrease in maximum temperature is forecast, in the order of 3ºC in the North and Center regions, with the highest temperatures being in the Alentejo and Algarve (20 to 25ºC). The wind may intensify on the coast, turning to the north / northwest quadrant, and in the highlands can reach 30 to 45 km / h throughout the territory.

 Sunday – 22 October, the maximum temperature will rise, around 4ºC, especially in the interior of the North and Center regions. The wind will blow from the north / northeast quadrant (<20 to 30 km / h). In the highlands (quota> 800m) it will blow from the east / northeast quadrant, reaching 30 to 40 km / h by the end of the morning.

 Sea waves, which may reach 4 to 5 m, from 06:00. on Saturday (21 Out) to 22.00 hrs on Sunday, with the most critical period expected to occur from mid-morning to mid-afternoon on Saturday.

2. EXPECTABLE EFFECTS

Depending on the present and predicted meteorological conditions, it is expected:

• Possibility of flooding at coastal gullies in historically most vulnerable areas;
• Damage to structures set up along the coast;
• Drainage problems in urban systems, especially during periods of high tide, and may cause flooding in historically more vulnerable places;
• Possible coastal shoreline accidents;
• Instability of slopes due to the loss of their consistency.

3. PREVENTIVE MEASURES

The ANPC recommends to the population the adoption of preventive precautionary measures, namely:

 Ensure proper setting of loose structures;

 Take special care along the coastline and riverside areas historically more vulnerable to coastal gullies, avoiding, if possible, walking or staying in these places;

 Avoid activities related to the sea, namely sport fishing, water sports and walks by the sea, as well as parking vehicles very close to the seafront;

 Be aware of meteorological information and Civil Protection and Security Forces indications.