The UNITA parliamentary group, the largest opposition party that the MPLA still allows in Angola, today expressed solidarity with the families of the victims of the rains and urged the executive to find lasting solutions to the problem of rainwater drainage in Luanda and other Angolan cities . It is, more or less, like sympathizing with the hungry having just eaten black truffles, giant crabs, roast lamb with mushrooms, winter lily bulbs, chicken supremes with beet root foam and cheeses accompanied by honey and caramelized almonds. and a few bottles of Château-Grillet 2005…

SAccording to a balance sheet presented last Friday by the government, since August last year the rains have caused the death of more than 300 people and left 66,000 people homeless. In Luanda, ten people have died since last week as a result of torrential rains.

In a statement, the UNITA parliamentary group said it was “deeply touched by the dramatic situation” and expressed its solidarity with the families of the victims of this natural disaster, addressing feelings of regret for the deaths.

UNITA deputies also ask the executive to strive “to find lasting solutions to the problem of rainwater drainage in Luanda and in other cities and towns in Angola”, listening to suggestions from specialists, environmentalists, academics, universities, traditional authorities and others. social actors, who can help design the appropriate measures and solutions to mitigate the damage resulting from cyclical natural phenomena.

It wouldn’t even take that much. It would be enough to see what the white Portuguese settlers did before the country’s entry to the black settlers of the MPLA.

UNITA also points to the need for the State to take “structuring decisions such as the effective institutionalization of local authorities” and asks that political responsibilities be assumed “and not facilitative attitudes that reduce the exclusivity of causes to the indiscipline of citizens for having built in areas of risk that the State Administration allowed”.

UNITA stresses that “the State has a constitutional and legal obligation” to ensure urban planning and land use, as well as the defense of life and human dignity and the safety of people, families and companies.

“Therefore, the Executive cannot escape the responsibility of defining the general orientation of public policies, their execution, evaluation and accountability”, concludes the parliamentary group of the largest Angolan opposition party.

Truffles and caviar for dinner

A UNITA’s reiterated strategy of making cabinet opposition, reminds us that, in July 2008, the leaders of the eight most industrialized economies in the world (G8), gathered in Japan at a summit on hunger, caused astonishment and repudiation in international public opinion. , following the menus for its working lunches and gala dinners were published by the media.

Gathered under the sign of the high prices of food in developed countries – and the consequent call for savings -, as well as the scarcity of food in the poorest countries, the Heads of State and Government did not hesitate to try 24 dishes, including starters and desserts, in a dinner that will have cost, per head, the modest amount of 300 euros.

Black truffles, giant crabs, roast lamb with mushrooms, winter lily bulbs, chicken supremes with beet root foam and a selection of cheeses accompanied by honey and caramelized almonds were just some of the dishes available to the world leaders, who accompanied the evening meal with five different wines, including a Château-Grillet 2005, which at the time was priced at around €70 each bottle in online specialty houses.

There was also no shortage of real caviar with champagne, smoked salmon, Kyoto beef steaks and white asparagus. 25 Japanese and foreign chefs were involved in the meals, including some awarded with the famous three stars of the Michelin Guide.

According to the British press, the “decency” of the G8 leaders – or, at least, of the Japanese hosts – prevented them from inviting to dinner some of the participants in the meetings on food issues, such as representatives of Ethiopia, Tanzania or Senegal.

English newspapers and television were at the forefront of disclosing the table service and the concomitant reactions. Dominic Nutt, from the organization Britain Save the Children, quoted by several online organs, said that “it is quite hypocritical that the leaders of the G8 might not resist such a feast at a time when there is a food crisis and millions of people cannot even get one. decent meal a day.”

For Andrew Mitchell, of the then conservative shadow government, “it is irrational that each of these leaders has given the guarantee that they are going to help the poorest and then do this”.

The G8 summit, held in Japan, cost a total of 358 million euros, enough to buy 100 million mosquito nets that help prevent the spread of malaria in Africa or four million AIDS patients. The press center alone, purpose-built for the event, cost 30 million euros.

Sheet 8 with Lusa