Adriana Marques Silva focus on environment in candidature

She is currently completing a PhD in Economics and Business, specializing in Management, at the Faculty of Economics at the University of Algarve.

With a career spanning human resources management, Adriana Marques Silva is running for mayor of Faro, representing the Livre party. The candidate grew up with family roots in Alentejo and the Algarve, and Faro is the place where she has invested most of her time.

The Portugal News (TPN): Why did you decide to run for mayor of Faro?

Adriana Silva (AS): Because I believe Faro deserves more than routine management. I want a municipality that plans for the long term, is inclusive, and gives a voice to all people. My academic and professional experience, combined with my knowledge of the municipality's structural problems, give me the tools to build more fair, participatory, and sustainable policies. But nothing is achieved alone: at LIVRE, we work as a team, and our team is extremely diverse in terms of professional backgrounds, life experiences, and areas of expertise. This diversity is an added value because it enriches our vision and ensures that the candidacy is more solid and prepared to respond to the municipality's challenges. This candidacy is, therefore, also an act of commitment to the community that welcomed me and where I want to see more opportunities, quality of life, and respect for the environment flourish.

TPN: You have mentioned in other interviews that the municipality of Faro has been neglected. Why do you make this statement?

AS: Faro has the potential to be an example of balanced development in the Algarve, but it has been managed in an unambitious and often reactive rather than proactive manner. We have a run-down historic centre, a lack of affordable housing, poor mobility, and insufficient green spaces. Many of these problems are not new, but the lack of strategic planning has perpetuated stagnation. It is worrying to think that, without the University of Algarve and Faro Hospital, the municipality would lose a significant portion of its dynamism and could feel more like a small village than the district capital it truly is. Neglecting is not just about not doing anything; it's also about not listening, not engaging the community, and not preparing the municipality for future challenges.

TPN: You mention that your candidacy is based on five specific pillars. What are they? And how do you plan to address them?

AS: We start with housing, aiming to promote affordable rental programs, rehabilitate vacant buildings, and create municipal incentives for youth and family housing. We also want to ensure affordable housing for professionals essential to the municipality's operations, such as teachers, municipal security forces, and healthcare professionals.

In education, we want to increase the availability of public daycare centres and kindergartens, strengthen ties with schools and universities, and invest in extracurricular programs that develop digital, artistic, and environmental skills. In the health sector, we will strive to strengthen primary health care in the municipality, improve medical and nursing coverage, support the creation of mental health responses, and strengthen coordination with the Algarve Health Unit (ULS). We also advocate for the urgent construction of the future Algarve Central Hospital, ensuring that it is properly planned in terms of accessibility, human resources, and coordination with other health services, including measures to attract and retain health professionals in the region.

In terms of quality of life, we will improve urban mobility with more efficient public transportation, create more green and leisure spaces, ensure consistent urban sanitation, and invest in universal accessibility.

Regarding social cohesion, we want to implement integration policies for migrant communities, strengthen social support for vulnerable families, promote decentralized cultural activities, and create mechanisms for active and inclusive citizen participation.

TPN: Livre is based on ecological ideas, integrating itself into the European political family, "European Greens." So, are there plans in your candidacy that focus on the environment/ecology?

AS: Yes. The environment is not an isolated pillar; it is transversally present in all our proposals. We intend to create policies to adapt to climate change, increase urban afforestation, protect the Ria Formosa, improve the energy efficiency of buildings, and encourage the circular economy in the municipality. This includes creating urban green corridors and shaded areas to combat heat islands. We also intend to strengthen oversight of pollutant discharges into the Ria Formosa. We intend to encourage community renewable energy projects and expand selective waste collection and composting. We also intend to integrate sustainability into all public contracts.

TPN: Faro Airport has been the target of criticism. What are your plans for your candidacy for the airport?

AS: Although the airport is an infrastructure under national supervision, the municipality should play a more active role in negotiations and monitoring its management. We advocate for a plan to mitigate environmental and acoustic impacts, better coordination with public transportation, and a strategy to make the airport a driver of a more diversified local economy, reducing dependence on seasonal tourism.

TPN: Regarding the foreign population, how would you describe the foreign population residing in Faro?

AS: Faro is a diverse municipality, welcoming people of various nationalities, from retirees who have chosen to live here to national and international workers and students. This diversity is a cultural and economic asset that should be valued.

TPN: What are your plans in your application for the foreign population residing in the municipality?

AS: We want to improve integration, promote intercultural events, and ensure that everyone has access to information about rights, services, and opportunities for civic participation. We also recognize the essential contribution of the immigrant population to sectors such as agriculture in Faro, and we advocate for more active oversight to ensure that working and living conditions are dignified, safe, and in compliance with the law. We will also implement cultural integration programs for foreign children in our public schools, ensuring they have language support, access to extracurricular activities, and opportunities to share and value their cultural heritage. We intend to strengthen and create more cultural initiatives that celebrate diversity, drawing inspiration from good examples in Portugal, such as the Mértola Islamic Festival and the Loulé MED Festival. These events bring communities together, value different cultures, and generate economic and social dynamism.

TPN: How important is your participation in municipal elections? Whether through voting or even joining the ticket.

AS: Very important. Voting and civic engagement, including joining local lists or movements, strengthen democracy. The participation of foreigners with electoral rights in municipal decisions is essential for policies that reflect the reality of those who live here, regardless of their nationality.

TPN: What is the objective of your candidacy?

AS: This application is built with and for the people. It's not just about changing who governs, but about changing how we govern: with more listening, more transparency, and more courage to face the challenges of the future. We want a municipality that is an example of social justice, environmental sustainability, and citizen participation.

Currently, the Deputy Editor at The Portugal News, Bruno G. Santos, is really interested in national politics. With a degree in Journalism and Communication, he also loves to write about different topics like Portuguese culture, society and other current affairs. Press card: 8463.