In other words, the news release with this fake news is simply this websites way of promoting itself. They are no more the leading authority on tourism statistics than I am the leading authority on brain surgery!

The reality in 2012 is that the red-tape and bureaucracy in Cape Verde is so thick (Cape Verde is in the bottom third of all countries in the world), it will take a massive change to not only slice through it but to shave it so thin that CV surpasses many of the other developing countries that are competing for the same global capital over the same 18 year period and jumps into the top third (or at least the top half). It is difficult to imagine this business paralysis changing in such a radical way (relative to the all the other countries) even in 18 years. Also, remember that the rest of the developing world is not standing idly by while Cape Verde “figures it out.”

But I absolutely agree with you this 2030 dream is for a better Cape Verde; it can indeed become a reality provided we dare to dream bold dreams, and that those who can make a difference are inspired by the vision and choose to ACT on it!

However, even if this dream becomes a reality – which would be an amazing and wonderful feat – the real question is what will the rest of the world look like in 2030, and will Cape Verde still be 20-30 years behind anyway? For example, the vision of Cape Verde 2030 seems a lot like what some of the developing countries already look like in 2012 or even earlier!

Thanks as always for the opportunity to express my views!

http://www.facebook.com/Presidencia.cv

Please visit the page and share it with your friends on Facebook.

Angelo

Let’s see if I get this right. Create a guarantee fund that is one third the size of Cape Verde’s ENTIRE economy??? Keep dreaming. People who make these statements have good intentions, but often are clueless about economic realities. In other words, more easily said than done!

For a more realistic view ob Cape Verde’s economic challenges and opportunities, read http://investincv.blogspot.com

Angelo

It’s great to have this type of information about Cape Verde. It’s an education process to all CapeVerdean in the diaspora. Keep them coming!
Parabéns!!!
Maria Rodrigues – USD (Misé)

This is a somewhat shortsighted view of the opportunity. I have heard some speculation that the local government is considering “solving” this problem by banning all Hiaces (minivans) from travelling inside the city of Praia and creating a monopoly for bus transportation as the only alternative (besides taxis) inside of the city limits. In other words, the proposal is to use an economic sledgehammer to kill one commercial ant in order to benefit another commercial ant.

The lifeblood of an economy is the free movement of goods and labor. A bus service is clearly one of the critical components that facilitate the effective flow of the blood stream in the economy. But, the result of establishing controls on free commerce is the creation of major economic imbalances. In other words, the proposed approach will lead to economic problems which may be much worse than the perceived problem.

These bus companies and the local government need to look at the problem in a different way. The issue is one of supply and demand. The only reason that the minivans running the routes illegally and capturing a big share of the travelling public within the city of Praia is that there is a particular demand for transportation by the public but the Moura Company is not effectively supplying the services to meet that demand. They are falling way short of the mark! Thus the minivans are entering, though illegally, to fulfill the needs of the public and in the manner that the public demands. Think about it, fuel doesn’t cost any more or less for the minivan driver than it does for the bus company. If the minivans can make a profit, why can’t Moura?

The travelling public has a simple demand … they want a RELIABLE bus service (i.e., with sufficient frequency) at a reasonable price. When you have to get to work at a particular time, it is not acceptable to spend 20 minutes waiting for a bus in a tiny city like Praia. Given the size of its population, there are simply too few buses in the capital city of Praia and no discernible schedules. Is it any wonder the Moura company is a failed business?

The solution is simple. Rather than constricting commerce or creating imbalances elsewhere in the economy, the Moura Company needs to provide SUFFICIENT buses to meet the demand and to establish a SCHEDULE so that travelling public knows the frequency at which they can expect a bus and even the exact times a bus will be at certain locations in the city. Of course, one must strike a balance in order to be profitable. For example, just as too few buses running without a schedule won’t lead to business success, too many buses isn’t financially feasible either.

To find that balance, the Moura Company needs to ask its customers about their needs … how long is too long to wait for a bus in Praia? Of course they have no clue. This is another challenge with too many businesses in Cape Verde … they never survey their clients to understand their needs. Worse, even when clients complain loudly, the companies don’t respond. So how can they possibly meet the needs of the clients? The result .. failed businesses, government intervention/interference, and “solutions” that address the symptoms of problems instead of addressing the root causes of the problems.

Furthermore, Moura or any bus company taking their place needs to be more innovative. They need new blood and new ideas. Here’s a simple idea with an inconsequential cost: Today, the bus company issues ticket stubs with a number when you enter the bus and pay the fare. Yet I never heard the bus company, which is totally aware that it is losing customers, regularly awarding a prize such as a free one-month pass – in a well publicized drawing. If you ride the bus frequently, it would cost you nothing to contend for this prize. And if you were thinking about taking the illegal minivan, you might reconsider if you knew you were giving up the free chance for a shot at a free bus-pass for a month. This stuff is not rocket science folks.

I encourage readers of Atlantico Weekly to read the book Freakonomics, by the economist Steven Levitt. You may also wish to check out my blog http://investincv.blogspot.com/ for additional perspective on economics and investments in Cape Verde.

Angelo B.

For example, if a tourist arrives in Sal, say from England, this is counted as a disembark … when they return to England, this is counted as an embark. So each tourist is counted twice. Similarly, if a domestic traveler goes from Santiago to Fogo, this is counted as one embark (in Santiago) and one disembark (in Fogo). When they return home to Santiago, they again get counted twice. So, is this FOUR passengers or ONE passenger? Logically, this is one and the same PERSON who got counted FOUR times!

Even a simple smell test would have revealed that the numbers are misinterpreted at best or deliberately exaggerated at worst. Cape Verde has about 400,000-450,000 tourist visits per year. Where did the other one million “passengers” magically come from in this report? Domestic? Cape Verde only has a half million residents and they surely all did not take the plane twice.

Once again, Asemana Online has laid an awful smelling egg. Quality and editorial rigor is sorely lacking at this newspaper. Cape Verde deserves much better than this from its news media! The problem with this type of cowboy journalism is that news travels far and wide in the 21st century. And when people read what appears to be non-sense, all credibility is lost in the country.

Naldim

You have to Keep this up; it gives a wonderful insight to the inner sights of the islands “Love it”

I also agree the government should be doing more for the investors that stand to lose so much money because of the developers taking the law into their own hands and destroying the good reputation of the islands. As it stands, no one will invest if things don’t change !