Praça do Metical Pemba: Works continue despite AQUA’s suspension order – Carta

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Praça do Metical Pemba: Works continue despite AQUA’s suspension order – Carta

9:51 CAT | 22 Nov 2021

FILE PHOTO: Município Pemba

The Bank of Mozambique, in partnership with the Municipality of Pemba, is building a Praça do Metical on Wimbi beach, close to Avenida Marginal. This innovative endeavour is considered “odd” by some, and has been severely criticised by the National Agency for Environmental Quality Control (AQUA).

“Odd” because you had never heard of squares like being built on a beach. And innovative, because the Bank of Mozambique had not yet built such an infrastructure on a beach, but rather mainly on roundabouts.

Despite the innovation, the installation of the works at that location was not well regarded by AQUA. Speaking to STV earlier this week, the institution’s Inspection Coordinator, Mário Parina, explained that Praça do Metical is being built “within 100 metres of the high tide”, in an area legally and environmentally reserved.

Under its attributions, AQUA required two documents from the contractor, namely the “special license” and an “environmental study”, but these were not presented. AQUA consequently ordered the works to be temporarily suspended, but the contractor ignored this, and work continues, in legal breach.

“There is a breach of the law because we issued the suspension document for the works two days ago, but nothing has changed. The contractor continues to build regardless,” Parina notes.

However, it should be noted that, before the construction of that square began, Wimbi beach already had numerous infrastructures built within 100 meters of the seafront, especially restaurants and hotels, a fact that raises doubts about the decision taken by AQUA.

‘Carta’ was unable to obtain any explanation from the Bank of Mozambique on the matter.

Disadvantages of the square’s location

The Bank of Mozambique and the Municipality of Pemba are running the risk of being held liable for building a work, albeit a public one, in a reserved area, and in contempt of AQUA.

Erosion may (sooner or later) cause the Praça do Metical to collapse, requiring public funds to be spent moving it.

Faced with these assumptions, ‘Carta’ the two institutions asks an open question: where is the sense in the construction of a Praça do Metical there?

Advantages

There are, however, benefits expected from installing the Praça do Metical in that location. First among them is tourist attention, as the beach is a tourist spot par excellence. This will undauntedly materialize the objectives of the central bank in constructing Praças do Metical across the country, in the context of the appreciation of the national currency.

By Evaristo Chilingue

Source: Carta de Moçambique