'I need a mayor who won't delay my projects'

Bahia 247 - Holding hands with mayoral candidate Alice Portugal (PCdoB), at the convention that ratified the ticket with PT member Maria Del Carmen as vice-mayor candidate, this Sunday (31), Governor Rui Costa definitively soured the relationship with Mayor ACM Neto (DEM), who is running for reelection and has also not spared him criticism.

After stating that the city hall could have built daycare centers instead of "removing stones," Rui cited "obstacles" imposed by the municipal administration. "I need a mayor who doesn't delay my Embasa projects by six or eight months," said the governor.

According to the Workers' Party member, the Rio Vermelho redevelopment project cost around R$ 70 million and "only served to replace sidewalks and paving stones."

"I just came from Ilha de Vera Cruz, inaugurating a type B daycare center as part of the 'Brasil Carinhoso' program, which cost R$ 2,2 million. At that price, you could build 30 daycare centers in Salvador. It's the worst capital city in Brazil in terms of early childhood education. So the mayor made a choice: to trade the Rio Vermelho promenade for R$ 70 million. He could have chosen another option and built 30 daycare centers for the people on the outskirts of Salvador. That's what needs to be debated. How do you want your mayor to make choices when investing the money he has: by removing stones or building 30 daycare centers? And then the people decide which management model they want," criticized Rui.

Rui Costa also criticized decisions that, according to him, worsen unemployment in Salvador. "If there's a project that doesn't generate jobs, don't do it. Ask the people of Barra if that project generated jobs or unemployment," said the Workers' Party member, referring to the Barra redevelopment project, which directly affected the organization of local commerce.