Thanks to Patricia Tyler for this photo and the message with it.
I am sending you a photo of the bombeiros truck which has been delivering water in the Arco da Calheta area for the last week. Even so we had no water for a period of around 16 hours a couple of days ago.
The infrastructure on the island is already unable to cope with the increased usage from hotels and villas…most of which have swimming pools.
There is a lack of parking leading to dangerous situations on the road and a dramatic increase in traffic.
The popular destinations are desperately overcrowded.
This means that the government is looking for ways to spread out the tourists.
The incredible rise in house prices over the last 2 years means that local people are completely priced out of the market.
Builders are now asking huge sums for properties, but the workers are not benefitting from the rises.
The island has deteriorated dramatically in 2 years…and if the growth continues at this rate it could be forever ruined in another 2.
Of course we need tourists…..but not to the point that what they love is destroyed.
If the government was sensible, they would learn from all the cities and countries that have already made their money-grabbing mistakes and are now either trying to back-pedal, or where the residents feel forced to say to tourists and ex-pats ‘go home’!
We have friends who have lived here for many years who recently had this experience.
Continual expansion is not sustainable…
We need to act now before it is too late.
Are there any political parties/movements that we can get involved with to demonstrate??
All best wishes to you and the people of Madeira.