The desalinization plant belonging to the Sambala Village tourist real estate project was unveiled Monday, May 21 by Minister of Infrastructures, Transportation and the Sea Manuel Inocêncio Sousa, and, in addition to the Resort itself, will also provide water for the population living in the neighboring Vale da Custa and São Francisco districts.

Piran Johnson, the director of Sambala Development, the company that manages the project, added that the entire enterprise reveals a strong social component. Among other things, practically 100% of the population of Vale da Custa is employed in the construction of the project.

The desalinization plant, which currently produces 1,000 cubic meters of water, but which has been built to produce a total of 6,000 at a future stage, will have a “major impact” on the improvement in the living conditions of residents of the two villages, according to Johnson.

“The water we produce will be sold to the local population, but the revenues will go to the local community association, which will employ them in various different projects, particularly those linked to public infrastructures,” explained Piran Johnson, who also affirmed that Sambala Development will construct homes for all of the families living in Vale da Custa.

The construction of these homes will begin next year, according to the director of Sambala Development, who indicated that a survey has already been carried out in order to elaborate a blueprint for a new village layout, which will include new schools and a health post.

Following the unveiling of the new desalinization plant, Minister of Infrastructures, Transportation and the Sea Manuel Inocêncio Sousa visited the construction site of Sambala Village, the first phase of the Sambala Resort project and which is nearly complete, saying he was “very happy” with what he saw.

Sousa highlighted the enterprise’s importance for the economy of the island of Santiago and Cape Verde in general, and promised that the government would continue efforts to create the conditions needed to guarantee the success of Sambala Resort and other projects planned for the region.

The cabinet minister stated that part of the Praia traffic ring, which will link Praia International Airport directly to the region, is “nearly concluded,” and added that the government has already assured Sambala Development that it will asphalt the road linking Praia to São Francisco.

“The construction company is already developing the project, and in August work is expected to begin. Work is forecast to be concluded in nine months, so that when Sambala Village’s users begin to visit the country they will duly be able to appreciate the enterprise’s dimensions,” promised Manuel Inocêncio Sousa.

Source: A Semana