It is with concern that Dinarte Fernandes, mayor of Santana, reacted to the news from the JM that reported the negligence of tourists who visit the Guindaste viewpoint, where they risk their lives to take a photo from the top of the slope.
However, and although he recognises the greater affluence to that place after the urban requalification and the risks taken by visitors who venture to the edge of the precipice, the mayor recalls that the land in question is not public property, so “neither the Chamber, nor any government entity control how far tourists go” just to photograph the superb scenery.
“We are talking about an area that is privately owned. Tourists cross land that has an owner, land that goes up to the crest of the cliff. We are not talking about any footpath, nor any recommended route, nor a public domain”, he warned.
According to the mayor, the municipality is only responsible for placing signs, which, he reiterates, are clearly visible in that tourist spot, in the part that is public property.
“We have to recognise that what we don’t control, the Chamber does not control whether a tourist ventures to, for example, the islet of Rocha do Navio. I can’t have a policeman on duty 24 hours a day controlling that dangerous access”, he added.
Even so, Dinarte Fernandes assures that the Chamber he directs will try to find out what else can be done to avoid these risk situations, but reiterates the following again:
“The Chamber cannot enter private land and simply fence off that land. We can eventually reinforce even more the signs that exist there, noting that they are entering private land, but more than that we cannot do it”, he concluded.