Complaints
Editor, My Wife and I came to Portugal 21 years ago to live the same way as the Portuguese, and we both speak Portuguese! Now we are full of complaining British expats who are not satisfied with life in Portugal or the the Portuguese systems it seems.
They did the same in Spain when they invaded. Complain Complain. Until the Spanish Goverment stepped in to make some changes, which they also dislike and lots of them left when they could not get their own way. Shame!
May I suggest the Portuguese Goverment do the same and get rid of all of the Complaining Brits as well, so we can get back to the Portugal we know and love.
Name and Address Withheld, Algarve. By email
Re: Sustainablilty articles
EDITOR, Regarding 28 May edition.
This is to follow up a letter published on 28 edition, regarding an article on DECO, which was juxtaposed by an article on the next page about a Range Rover.
In the latest edition of your paper, you have again fallen into this trap. See page 3, “selling sustainable Portugual” followed by an article on page 17 titled “Lasting lawns”.
The “lawns” article promotes purchasing fake grass. Fake grass is made with plastics, is in this case is shipped from Belgium. It has been shown that removing natural grass has a negative impact on wildlife, including bees which contribute to production of honey that Portugal also is proud of.
You really need to set your agenda and filter out articles and “news” that encourage un-sustainable and eco damaging behaviours.
Please think about this. It’s so important.
Thank you for reading
Mr Jim M, UK, By email
Hot off the press
Editor, I enjoyed another fine read (at a distance) from your 4 June edition.
I was particularly pleased to see another Opinion piece by Gwynne Dyer. Although I don’t always agree with Gwynne’s opinions, his articles are always interesting and well-written. This time, the subject was the globalist would-be elites at Davos and the ‘unfortunate’ election results that happen in some countries. Surely, Orban is popular in Hungary (even if not with the EU) and, if Trump is re-elected in the US, then that’s what the electorate there must want?
Further on, an article about nutrition and ageing caught my attention. The advice seemed to be that older folk should eat a diet rich in lean meats. A fine sentiment, were it not for the sad fact of spiralling inflation in food costs that many can ill afford.
Regarding the article about the number of elderly cars in Portugal, I would have thought that a reason for pride. The benign climate means that cars age well, and no-one ever seems to consider the energy used to manufacture and ship new cars all over the world. If we’re really keen on saving the planet, we should be very sure that the extra emissions from ‘old’ cars exceed those produced when those shiny new models are manufactured (if robotic construction can still be so termed).
Once again, keep up the good work!
Paula Jones (UK), By email
“Name and address withheld, Algarve”: I´m not Brit, I´m Portuguese. Have you noticed that -paradoxically-you´re complaining as well? I don´t agree with everything that is said by everyone (foreigners/ex-pats/locals) yet seeing everyone able to express themselves is a right -“freedom of expression”. (The same right you used just now?) Yet it is healthy because ppl need to talk/write to process both the info they received and the response (how we “filter”) they have to info received. Being able to “digest” different opinions is the “duty” that inevitably comes coupled with the “right” to express yourself. The good news is, if you don´t agree, you can make your argument through said right. “the Portugal we know and love”: Some of us are originally from here and because we love our country, need to point out why many things are not done to citizens´ best interests. Though our national pbs might be in the way or clash w/ your “Paradise” existence/vacations (meaning: our gvrt cares more about profiting from foreigners than helping improve structurally our basic sectors), you´re still afforded your rights. Let them complain. If they´re right/wrong, sooner or later reality will show just that. Telling ppl to shut up, while withholding your identity, is losing the battle right there (and contradictory).
By guida from Lisbon on 11 Jun 2022, 05:17