50 Years of Independence marked by inertia and abandonment, says young Bravense man
Nova Sintra City, May 1, 2025 (Bravanews) - In the year in which Cape Verde celebrates five decades of independence, young Bravense Debora Delgado takes a critical look at the development of her home island. Venting on social media, Delgado says that over the past 50 years, Brava has "gained a lot... more inertia caused by little or almost no development in all the areas that can be mentioned and more".
The young woman's dissatisfaction conveys a feeling of neglect which, according to her, translates into "more abandonment and oblivion on the part of the government, the direct actors and supposedly the ones who should bring concrete solutions to solve the general problems mentioned above". This abandonment, laments Debora Delgado, also extends to the children of Brava themselves, who "seek solutions elsewhere" in the face of "inertia" and the island's "very little and very poor development".
Debora Delgado's criticism does not spare the issues that are essential to the quality of life and the rights of citizens. She denounces "disrespect for life, health, education and the constitutional rights of all Cape Verdeans, but Brava is a case in point". This "case apart" is particularly evident when it comes to the island's connections with the outside world. For Delgado, Brava has "gained more isolation" due to the lack of conditions and means for a minimally effective maritime connection, and the dream of an air link remains distant.
The young woman from Brava does not fail to point the finger at the political sphere, where she observes the predominance of "politicking, feuding, self-interest-seeking" and "partisanship". On the other hand, he accuses, "acting for the good of the population as a whole is left to .... a ver vamos".
Debora Delgado's statement, although concise, paints a bleak picture of the situation on Ilha Brava after 50 years of Cape Verdean independence. Her testimony raises important questions about the equity of development between the islands of the archipelago and the impact of alleged neglect on the lives of the Bravenses. The list of problems pointed out by Débora Delgado, as she herself says, could go on and on, but her outburst already serves as an alert to the need for deep reflection on the future of Ilha Brava and the fulfillment of the rights of all Cape Verdeans, regardless of their island of origin.
