Youths from Sinagoga call on municipal chamber

06/03/2010

Sinagoga’s young people say they have sent a petition to the municipal chamber to “once again request the help promised for the construction of a sports field in the village, which, despite several attempts, has not yet moved forward,” according to a press release.

According to the same communiqué, “through the Sinagoga Integrated Development Association, we managed to mobilize 50% of the project budget alongside the Department of Sports. Excavation work for the foundation began in late 2008. With the help of voluntary work from the community, we’ve already built some 90% of the platform support wall, with the field, protection wall and bleachers still to be concluded.”

Contacted by A Semana Online, the Ribeira Grande municipal chamber sports department director, Paulo Rodrigues, confirmed having received the petition. “Although the ground-breaking ceremony for the project was presided over by Leonesa Fortes, who was the PAICV’s candidate in the 2008 municipal elections, we’re making every effort to finance its conclusion as soon as possible,” guarantees Rodrigues.

“The delay in financing the conclusion of work is due to the fact that the government has yet to fulfill its part in the contract for 20 million escudos for turf at João Serra Stadium in Ponta do Sol. To solve the problem with the costs at the time, we had to take out a loan,” he adds.

Sinagoga is one of the villages in the municipality of Ribeira Grande with a federated soccer team. Youths from the zone have a natural passion for sports, but have nowhere to practice due to the village’s topography – Sinagoga is literally squeezed between towering cliffs and the ocean. In order to prepare for their games, local athletes have to travel to the nearby towns of Povoação or Ponta do Sol.