Elections in São Tomé: Economy “must start growing more,” says PM

“ A economy has to grow more. The economy must grow more. Right now the economy is growing between 1% and 2%. We're out of a crisis, we're evolving. And we must (...) make the economy grow [at a value] of more than 3%, 4%,” said the President of Independent Democratic Action (IDA), in the margins of a campaign action of the parliamentary elections that take place next Sunday.

In the district of Caué, in São João de Angolares, Américo Ramos focused on what this government achieved in two years, focusing on solving energy problems, with historical cuts and lack of electricity supply at the national level.

“We’ve come a long way. We stabilized the power with the generators we have. We are already preparing the energy transition. We have the largest solar park in São Tomé ever to be built”, said, explaining that by December solar panels will be installed capable of producing 11 megawatts of energy and batteries with capacity to store seven more megawatts.

That, the ruler stressed, “represents about 50% of the needs at this time” of São Tomé.

The ruler and party leader added that there are water options that need to be explored to defuse the energy problem, but stressed that the country must be able to answer other pressing questions as well.

“ We have the water problem, the water supply. Distribution, capture and distribution. You have to work on it. We must bring new solutions, because we know that with climate change there has been a considerable decrease in flow and groundwater,” he explained.

Américo Ramos said that another of the priorities is focused on health, access to medicines and the construction of new infrastructures, not to mention that actions are also needed for the country to create opportunities for the youth of the city.

“ We must look for consistent funding from private and public partners to finance those important infrastructures ” and to invest in sectors that become “a growth engine,” he concluded.

The municipal and regional elections of 27 September in São Tomé and Príncipe run for four parliamentary parties: Independent Democratic Action (ADI); Movement for the Liberation of São Tomé and Príncipe (MLSTP); the coalition Movement of Independent Citizens-Party Socialist/Party of National Unity (MCI-PS/PUN); and the Movement Enough.

Three other parties without parliamentary seats vote: the Democratic Convergence Party (DCP), the Democratic Movement Force of Change (MDFM) and the newly created Political Movement Our Earth.

For the legislatures are in dispute 55 seats of the National Assembly and are registered more than 146 thousand voters, an increase of almost 4,000 compared to the presidential elections of 19 July, when Carlos Vila Nova was re-elected, at the first round.