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Portugal will have 640 approved beaches, including inland waterways, for bathing this year, up from 99 in 2017, the director of the Instituto de Socorros a Náufragos (ISN) said Friday 20^th April, adding that there will be 504 more certified lifeguards.

During a press conference, held at the ISN headquarters in Caxias, Oeiras municipality, José Gouveia said that during the bathing season – which starts legally on May 1 and goes until October 15 – on the along the coast there will be 387 beaches with bathing quality, 129 inland (river beaches), 70 and 54 in the islands of the Azores and Madeira, respectively.

In 2017 there were 470 beaches monitored and 226 unguarded, but for this year the director of the ISN explained that, at the moment, it is not yet possible to make an estimate, emphasizing that this is a responsibility of the municipalities and the concessionaires of beaches, who are responsible the hiring of the lifeguards.

Gouveia stated that the ISN has nothing to do with hiring these professionals, but gave a warning based, based on the experience of previous years. “It’s because there are lifeguards who take the course and then they do not undertake the work, hence the need to have as many certified swimmers as possible to guarantee that there are sufficient to go to the beaches. It is up to us to ensure they are well trained to the requirements of the law and that we are sure that those who are on the beach know what they are doing, “he says.

This year there were 23 courses for lifeguards, attended by 352 persons plus 152 requalification’s, making a total of 504. In all there are 5360 certified lifeguards.

Despite these figures, the director of the ISN acknowledges that there are still unguarded beaches. “There is always a period in the beginning of the bathing season where some beaches will not have a bathing assistance. They do not have the commitment of the municipalities, they do not have to attend to bathers. There are many beaches that have adequate signage as an unguarded beach, “says José Gouveia

A 49-year-old man appeared in Court on Monday 23^rd April accused of having caused a forest fire in Fajões, Oliveira de Azeméis, on October 15, 2017, which was considered “the worst day of the year” in terms of fires.

Before the judges’, the man confessed to the crime, but gave no justification for his conduct, merely saying that before he had been drinking “two litres of wine, more or less.”

The man also said that he only set one fire, contrary to what he told the Judiciary Police when he participated in the reconstitution of the facts.

In the first session of the trial, the court also heard a woman who claimed to have seen the defendant trying to set fire with a lighter.

“He was hiding behind a pine tree looking at the fire. He took a lighter out of his pocket and crouched in the bushes, and I said I would call the guard,” the witness said.

The individual left the place on foot, having been intercepted a few meters ahead by several members of the public who retained it until the arrival of the GNR.

According to the indictment of the Public Prosecutor’s Office (MP), the defendant set fire to four different ignition points in the existing undergrowth.

When he tried to carry out the fifth ignition, next to some houses, he was surprised by a resident who, when he saw the defendant with a lighter in his hand by the bush.

The fire spread to the remaining forest, consuming an area of ​​16 hectares of vegetation comprising bush, pine and eucalyptus trees.

The Prosecution stated that the flames only did not reach other assets, namely a chapel and existing dwellings, due to the prompt and effective performance of the firefighters.

October 15 was considered the “worst day of the year” in terms of forest fires, with almost 500 ignitions (forest fires and agricultural fires), according to the report of the independent technical commission on fires.

 

On 22^nd and 23^rd April  2018 the GNR have arrested five persons in the districts of Bragança, Portalegre , Porto, Vila Real and Viseu for causing forest fires.

The suspects, two men and three women between the ages of 38 and 72, in separate incidents were burning debris, but failed to control the flames, resulting in a total burned area of about 59 000 m2 of wild pine, eucalyptus and bush.

The detainees were constituted defendants and subject pre-trial conditions.

Failing to properly control the burning of debris is one of the main causes of fires. Please download the official guide to undertake controlled burnings safely here.

The C.ª de Lobos Police Division of the Regional Police of the Public Security Police of Madeira, through the Câmara de Lobos municipality, have arrested a person caught in the act of vehicle theft and driving without legal authorization.

From the measures taken, it was possible to associate the detainee with other thefts, and it was possible to recover a laptop that had been stolen on April 8, in the city of Funchal.

The stolen vehicle was returned to the victim, thus recovering his property that had been staken from him.

Just earlier the same Police subunit, managed to recover a cell phone belonging to a citizen who was victim of theft inside a heavy passenger vehicle. After the formalization of the Denunciation in the Camera Squad of Lobos, the police immediately located the suspect who was found to be in the possession of the stolen mobile phone.

The PSP Regional Command of Madeira requests all citizens who are victims of theft, robbery or any other crime, to contact, in the shortest possible time, any PSP Squad in order to initiate police intervention in a timely manner.

The Metropolitan Command of Lisbon of the PSP, in the scope of its operational activity, continuing the prevention and deterrence of crime, in the period between 00.00 and 23H59 hrs on 20^th April 2018, detained 41 citizens:

• 16 for Narcotics Traffic
• 10 per Arrest Warrant
• 5 per Driving without licence
• 4 per Driving Under influence of alcohol
• 3 for Resistance a
• 3 for Theft

During the same period the following seizures were made:

• Hashish in sufficient quantity for 52,225.50 individual doses
• Cocaine in sufficient quantity for 11,324.20 individual doses
• Heroin in sufficient quantity for 1,005.84 individual doses

The Metropolitan Command of the PSP of Porto announced on 20^th April the arrest of 19 people and the seizure of more than 100 thousand doses of heroin and cocaine and 40 thousand euros.

This operation of the Criminal Investigation Division, held on Thursday, included 27 home searches.

In a statement, PSP said that it was a “large-scale police operation aimed at a broad range of individuals who organized drug trafficking in the metropolitan area of ​​Oporto.”

PSP later refers to other details that involved this police operation.

The following notice is for the Agglomerate Population of Monchique.

For Alferce (GPCF 7/2018), Casais (GPCF 5/2018), Marmelete (8/2018) and  Montinho (GPCF 6/2018) as well as the Monchique Population Agglomerate’s Fuel Management Strip map, please see the full notices in Portuguese here. The dates of awareness/clarification sessions are as follows:

Alferace – 26^th April – 1030 hrs – Espaco Multusos do Alferce

Casais – 24^th April – 1030 hrs – Ludoteca dos Casais

Marmelette – 24^th April – 1430 hrs – Casa do Povo de Marmelete

Monchique – 23^rd April – 1430 hrs – Camara Municipal

Montinho – 23^rd April – 1030 hrs – MacDonald Monchique Resort &Spa

 

The AGGLOMERATE POPULATION of MONCHIQUE

RUI MIGUEL DA SILVA ANDRÉ, Mayor of Monchique,

It makes public, in accordance with the provisions of Decree-Law 124/2006 of June 28 (in the current version), with the changes introduced by the State Budget of 2018 (Law No. 114/2017 of December 29), which establish the measures and actions to be undertaken within the scope of the National System of Defence of the Forest against fires, namely:

1. In the AGGLOMERATE POPULATION OF MONCHIQUE, it is mandatory to manage fuel in an outer protection strip of a minimum width of not less than 100 m;
2. The owners, tenants, users or entities that, in any way, hold lands located within the range referred to in the previous number the management of fuel in those lands, in accordance with the norms in the annex of the decree-law no. 124 / 2006 (in the current version);
3. If you have land located in the fuel management area of ​​the Monchique settlement, you are REQUIRED to arrange for the regularization of the situation by APRIL 30, 2018;
4. The infraction situations identified will be the subject of a survey of cases of misconduct;
5. During the year 2018, fines for breach of these legal provisions are increased to double, constituting administrative offenses punishable by a fine of € 280 to € 10,000 in the case of an individual person and € 1,600 to € 120,000 , in the case of legal entities;
6. The GNR, PSP, Maritime Police, ICNF, I.PP, ANPC, municipal councils, municipal police and nature watch officers are responsible for monitoring compliance with this law;
7. The exact location of the buildings inserted in the Monchique Population Agglomerate’s Fuel Management Strip and its land register are attached to this notice, which is an integral part of it and can be consulted in detail at the Office of Civil Protection and Forestry of Monchique (headquartered in the City Hall);
8. By no later than April 30th, if there is a breach in the execution of the fuel management band around the Population Cluster of Monchique, the City Council, by May 31, will carry out the fuel management work, with the right to seek reimbursement, triggering the necessary mechanisms to reimburse the expenses incurred;
9. In case of non-compliance, the infringing owner will be subject to administrative infraction with a minimum value of € 280;
10. In the event that you have doubts about whether your land is covered by this legal obligation, or the actions you must take in it, please contact the parish council or the Office of Civil Protection and Forests of the City Council of Monchique, at the Paços do Concelho Building, located at Travessa da Portela, in Monchique, or call the number 280 910 210/280, during working hours, Monday and Friday from 09.00 to 15.30, on a continuous schedule, or through of the e-mail address gtf.monchique@cm-monchique.pt.
11. On April 23rd, a clarification session will be held for all interested parties in the noble hall of the City Hall building at 2.30 pm.

The implementation of the FGC is essential for increasing the resilience of territories to rural fires and for minimizing tragedies such as those that occurred in 2017 in central Portugal and 2003-4 in the municipality of Monchique, with the loss of lives, housing and incomes.

Town Hall, April 11, 2018

The President of the Chamber,

 

(Rui Miguel da Silva André, Dr.)

……………………………………………………………………………

EDITAL  GPCF n.º 4/2018

Execução de Faixas de Gestão de Combustíveis AGLOMERADO POPULACIONAL DE MONCHIQUE

RUI MIGUEL DA SILVA ANDRÉ, Presidente da Câmara Municipal de Monchique,

Faz público, de acordo com o disposto no Decreto-Lei 124/2006, de 28 de junho (na atual redação), com as alterações introduzidas pelo Orçamento de Estado de 2018 (Lei n.º 114/2017 de 29 de dezembro), que estabelecem as medidas e ações a desenvolver no âmbito do Sistema Nacional de Defesa da Floresta Contra Incêndios, que: No AGLOMERADOS POPULACIONAL DE MONCHIQUE, é obrigatória a gestão de combustível numa faixa exterior de proteção de largura mínima não inferior a 100 m; Compete aos proprietários, arrendatários, usufrutuários ou entidades que, a qualquer título, detenham terrenos inseridos na faixa referida no número anterior a gestão de combustível nesses terrenos, de acordo com as normas constantes no anexo do decreto–lei n.º 124/2006 (na atual redação); Caso possua terrenos inseridos na faixa de gestão de combustível do aglomerado populacional de Monchique, está OBRIGADO a providenciar pela regularização da situação até ao DIA 30 de ABRIL de 2018; As situações de infração identificadas serão alvo de levantamento de processos de contraordenação; Durante o ano de 2018 as coimas referentes à infração a estas disposições legais são aumentadas para o dobro, constituindo contra -ordenações puníveis com coima de € 280 a € 10.000, no caso de pessoa singular, e de € 1.600 a € 120 000, no caso de pessoas coletivas; A fiscalização do incumprimento da referida lei compete à GNR, à PSP, à Polícia Marítima, ao ICNF, I. P., à ANPC, às câmaras municipais, às polícias municipais e aos vigilantes da natureza; A localização exata dos prédios inseridos na Faixa de Gestão de Combustível do Aglomerado Populacional de Monchique e o seu registo predial encontram-se anexas a este edital, dele fazendo parte integrante, podendo ser consultada de forma pormenorizada no Gabinete de Proteção Civil e Florestas de Monchique (sedeado na Câmara Municipal); Verificando-se, até ao dia 30 de abril, o incumprimento na execução da faixa de gestão de combustível em redor do Aglomerado Populacional de Monchique a Câmara Municipal, até 31 de maio, procederá à realização dos trabalhos de gestão de combustível, com a faculdade de se ressarcir, desencadeando os mecanismos necessários ao ressarcimento da despesa efetuada; No caso de incumprimento, o proprietário em infração será alvo de contra-ordenação com o valor mínimo de € 280; Na eventualidade de ter dúvidas sobre se o seu terreno se encontra abrangido por esta obrigação legal, ou das ações que deverá realizar no mesmo, dirija-se à junta de freguesia ou ao Gabinete de Proteção Civil e Florestas da Câmara Municipal de Monchique, no Edifício dos Paços do Concelho, sito na Travessa da Portela, em Monchique, ou ligue para o número 280 910 210/280, durante o horário de atendimento, de segunda e sexta das 09.00 às 15.30, em regime de horário contínuo, ou através do endereço de correio electrónico gtf.monchique@cm-monchique.pt. No dia 23 de Abril realizar-se uma sessão de esclarecimento para todos os interessados no salão nobre do edifício da Câmara municipal pelas 14.30 horas. A execução das FGC é essencial para o aumento da resiliência dos territórios aos incêndios rurais e para minimizar tragédias como as que ocorreram no ano de 2017 na zona centro de Portugal, e no ano de 2003-4 no concelho de Monchique, com a perda de vidas, habitações e rendimentos incalculáveis. Paços do Município, 11 de Abril de 2018 O Presidente da Câmara,   (Rui Miguel da Silva André, Dr.)

Between April 14 and 18, in the municipality of Tavira, the National Civil Protection Authority (ANPC), the Portuguese Army, through the Emergency Military Support Regiment (RAME) and other Civil Protection Agents (APC) together with entities with a duty of cooperation (EC), will participate in an exercise called “FÉNIX18”.

This aims to test the response to a 7.0 magnitude earthquake scenario, with an epicentre in the fault of Santo Estevão (Tavira), resulting in a high level of damage, both human and infrastructural, in the Algarve Region.

This exercise, promoted by the Army, in close coordination with the ANPC, through its District Command of Relief Operations (CDOS) of Faro, began (STARTEX), at dawn today (April 14), at 05:00 hours, reaching its climax on 16 and 17 of April.

Exercising the response capacity of RAME at the request of the ANPC in the event of an earthquake, is one of the main objectives of this exercise, as well as to train and complete the integrated response system of the various APCs and ECs of the Region.

The exercise will be played with the various APC and EC facilities on the ground (LIVEX mode), which will undertake 5 different scenarios, and combines the opportunity to test the Special Civil Emergency Plan for Seismic and Tsunami Risk for the Algarve Region (PEERST-ALG).

CDOS FARO Communication no 3 – 13th April 2018

The GNR Tax Action Unit (UAF) closed this weekend (7^th/8^th April) an illegal casino that operated in a warehouse in Olhão, Algarve, seizing more than 50 thousand euros.

In a statement, the UAF said that in the course of the operation, 12 people were indicted and 53,210 euros were seized, 1080 of multi-game gambling chips and two poker tables, other equipment and gaming material.

The operation originated in an investigation into illegal gambling and fiscal fraud led by the Faro Tax Action Office, which started a year ago, the statement said.

The material seized resulted from six searches, one at the illegal casino, which operated in a warehouse, two domiciliary and three in cars.

Of the defendants, aged between 33 and 58, nine are indicted for illegal gambling and three for illegal gambling and tax fraud.

This action of the Tax Action Unit was supported by the GNR Faro Territorial Command and the Faro District PSP Command.

 

A  Madeira businessman accused of two crimes of qualified derision involving a diamond business, valued at about 82,000 euros, was this Wednesday 11th April acquitted by the Court of the Region of Madeira.

The trial began on October 18 last year at the Madeira Central Instance in Funchal with the 53-year-old defendant from Machico allegedly cheating two emigrants in a diamond business fraud in South Africa in 2013.

The Prosecutor’s allegation alleged that the businessman had persuaded the two Venezuelan investors and residents of Madeira to invest “part of their savings” in the purchase of diamonds extracted from a mine in the city of Kimberley in that country “allegedly belonging to a hypothetical Irish elderly couple.”

Although initially decided to refer to the silence, the defendant ended up giving several versions for the facts of which he was accused.

On March 21, in closing statements, Deputy Attorney General Paulo Oliveira, however, himself asked for acquittal, arguing that he had doubts concerning whether a crime had actually taken place and whether this process “should therefore be a civil trial instead”.

Therefore, the court decided to acquit the defendant of the crimes and also disagreed with the civil claim of the assistants in the order of 99,360 euros, “because to have civil liability there has to be a connection with a crime.”