October 14, 2022

10:10

Ívina Garcia – from Amazon Agency

MANAUS – The program “Ilumina+Amazonas” – which aims to bring LED technology lighting for the cities of the Amazon state – faces difficulties for installation in the municipalities of Manacapuru (98 kilometers from the capital) and Fonte Boa (678 kilometers from Manaus). The reason: the mayors of the two cities, Beto D’Angelo (Republicanos) and Gilberto Lisboa (PT), respectively, are in opposition to the governor of Amazonas, Wilson Lima (União).

The two mayors support Wilson Lima’s opponent in this election, Senator Eduardo Braga (MDB/AM) and, according to documents, they create difficulties for the cities to benefit from the project. Ilumina+Amazonas is under the administration of the Management Unit of Special Projects (UGPE), subordinated to the Secretary of Infrastructure of Amazonas (Seinfra).

A survey by AMAZON AGENCY at the UGPE system pointed out that Manacapuru and Fonte Boa were the only two municipalities, of the 61 in the interior of Amazonas to not answer about the LEDs installation. The management unit forwarded letters to the Manacapuru City Hall and got no response, according to state officials.

According to data from the documents, calls were made between UGPE and the Manacapuru City Hall, which indicated the Secretary of Public Works and Services, Paulo Onety de Souza Filho, as supervisor of the municipality for the execution of the service, however, there was no definition of execution.

“As you know, the technical visit is the procedure by which the UGPE technicians will carry out the survey of the exact quantity of points in the municipal seat and the dimensioning of the lighting project, according to the real need of the roads, in order to enable the purchase of materials and the mobilization for the execution of services”, explained the executive coordinator of UGPE, Marcellus Campêlo.

In the letter, Marcellus asks that, if there is no interest on the part of the municipality, it should be informed as soon as possible. In the attachment of the document is an email from the office of Manacapuru City Hall, dated August 4, responding to UGPE with only “Received”.

Manacapuru is part of the Metropolitan Region of Manaus that, according to UGPE, has approximately 5,500 points of public lighting susceptible to being replaced by LED fixtures.

The mayor Beto D’Ângelo justified, through a video posted on a social network, that he did not accept the project because he already has a lighting concession contract with a company. He did not give details of the restrictions.

“We informed the team that this lighting could not be installed because Manacapuru has a concession contract, so there would be conflict with the contract and this makes the action of the deployment of LED luminaires that the government offers the municipality unfeasible”, said D’Ângelo.

Fonte Boa

UGPE also sent an official letter to the mayor of Fonte Boa, Gilberto Lisboa, on October 6th, offering the installation of the program and requesting a date for the technical visit. According to the managing unit, in the municipality there are 1,500 points of public lighting that can be exchanged for LED bulbs.

“In this context, if the municipality is interested in performing the services of standardization and modernization of the urban road public lighting system, through the Program Illumina + Amazonas, we request your agreement and the indication of date and appointment of representative to monitor the conduct of the technical visit until October 11, Tuesday, without which it will undermine the implementation planning for the period mentioned above”, writes excerpt from the document. In the attachment there is no response from the municipality.

Residents complain

In social networks, residents complain about the delay in the installation of LED by the company hired by Manacapuru City Hall. “This is a serious thing, my street has no street lighting, but has the fee charged on the bill. Then the guys refuse”, wrote a resident.

Another internet user reports that in addition to structural problems, some streets of Manacapuru follow without street lighting. “While the mayor of the city shows the good side, making electoral campaign, showing inaugurations, among others, the Extramar road follows abandoned by the management of the city hall”, he says.

Besides the old lamps, residents also report that the company hired by the Manacapuru City Hall does not do a good job. “They put lighting, but turned on direct, without relays. In a few days, the LEDs will burn out”, they report.