Loule Camara-So right and so wrong

I have the "pleasure" to live and work in the council of Loulé. I am proud of their achievements in terms of infrastructure, cultural events and modernising of the council, in the same way you might be proud of your dog learning a new trick. I wasn´t born here, but I choose to live in this council so I do feel part of what they do is relevant to me.

So, for the good works mentioned, 10 out of 10 to Loulé for their efforts. However, this is Portugal in 2009, and for everything done well, they let themselves down to the power of 2 (at least) with their horrendous "management" and "administration" of other matters.
In the past few weeks I have had dealings with a number of departments in the council. First I went to complain to the department dealing with the disastrously organised installation of drainage and water in our area. This has been haphazard and poorly managed and I wanted to squeeze someone's balls for this.

Normally when going on a mission such as this, I am prepared that (a) I will be ignored initially (b) the person will be far too busy to see me (c) I will make an appointment for sometime 2 weeks in the future and (d) I will lose my temper, read them the riot act and probably get to talk to someone sensible only after this. Bearing all this in mind, I opened the door and stepped in to the Dragons Den.

But no-one had told these people how a public department operates here, I think they must not have been on the "How to be obstructive to the public" training course. I went straight in to see the Engineer responsible and explained the problems and concerns. He APOLOGISED which is a first, and then took the time to explain exactly what was happening. He also promised to resolve the access problems we had, immediately.

I left somewhat shell shocked, and I felt even more so when I returned home to find machines already putting right the problems. 10 out of 10 again for the council (well, the engineer really).
Then the fun begins. I am at war with my small minded neighbour, who (if you believe his cousin who has not spoken to him for 20 years and hates him) has a penis the size of a matchstick. That´s not really relevant, but I just wanted to write it.

So I receive 2 of the councils finest Fiscal Inspectors at my house, dressed for the disco and with attitudes to match. They proceed to victimise me as I have raised a boundary wall (12m long) by 68cm. The way they talk, I am lucky that I am not currently in jail, it is such a severe offence. Please bear in mind that in the immediate area I live in (which is rural) there are 2 houses built totally illegally, 2 houses extended illegally and numerous miscellaneous acts of unlicensed construction.

These two pool both their brain cells and proceed to make things as difficult as possible. As soon as they informed me they were unhappy with the wall, I stopped work. However, they proceed to send me an official demand to stop, some 2 weeks later!
Then it just goes on and on. We bought a swimming pool in kit form and built it. They don´t like that. We laid a timber deck. They don´t like that. Etc. Etc.

The worst thing with this pair of amoebas is that whenever I ask them if it is ok to do something, they say they are not sure. Then they come back and penalise me for doing it! Total, complete and utter one watts.

It is pretty obvious that they are being deliberately awkward, as I have dealt with other people from the fiscal department who are much more professional and reasonable. It´s all been noted, and it will be used against them.

Moving on, our beloved council have decided to go back on their word and cancel approvals for projects and houses (which had parts to be legalised due to alterations) all across the council. For now, absolutely everything of this nature is on hold, and our council is the only one in the Algarve taking this stance. Imagine, you have written approval all is ok, and then one day you get a letter saying "Sorry, we have changed our mind. If you do not like it, take us to court. Yours not giving a toss at all, Loulé Council." This sort of behaviour ruins peoples lives.

So sorry Loulé, but for all the good work you have done, I (and many others) only remember the inefficiency, incompetence, nepotism and lack of respect for your citizens that you display.
Until someone has the brass balls to fire those who need firing, be responsible for the actions of their staff and take a genuine interest in the injustices that this entity produces, it will never change. It´s like an engine that has been steam cleaned and polished, looks wonderful but actually only runs on 3 cylinders and pollutes the air massively.