Brava: Drivers without vehicle inspection protest the ITAC team's stay of only eight days.

Dozens of drivers sought media attention to denounce the situation, considering that the time allotted was insufficient to meet the existing demand on the island, where inspections are only carried out every six months.

In statements to Inforpress, driver Celestino Ramos stated that the Cape Verde Automobile Technical Inspection (ITAC) team justified the delay in starting the work by saying that their arrival coincided with the municipality's festivities, a period in which, he explained, it was difficult to find available mechanics on the island.

According to him, the inspections only started after the festivities, but have already been completed, leaving dozens of vehicles uninspected.

"In Brava there are only one or two mechanics and, often, the parts needed to repair vehicles have to be ordered from other islands. In just eight working days there is not enough time to carry out the repairs and wait for the parts to arrive," he stated.

Celestino Ramos also recalled that in previous visits, the ITAC team stayed on the island for 15 days, allowing a greater number of owners to comply with the mandatory inspection.

"The inspections are now finished and won't resume for another six months. Many cars haven't been tested, and we don't know how we're going to get by when we have families to support," he lamented, appealing to the relevant authorities to look into the situation.

The car owner Ideal Louro also expressed his dissatisfaction, stating that he had been in line since 5:30 am without being able to get the inspection done.

"I arrived very early and even then I couldn't get the inspection done. I saw vehicles that arrived after me being attended to, while I was left outside. It gives the impression that they are choosing who gets the inspection," he stated.

The driver reiterated that the reality on Brava Island requires a longer stay for the technical team, due to the reduced number of mechanics on the island and the need to import parts from other islands to carry out the required repairs.

The drivers present appealed for intervention from national authorities, arguing that many depend on their vehicles to support their families and cannot remain without work for six months.

Inforpress attempted to obtain statements from ITAC employees who were on the island, but they reported that they were not authorized to make statements on the matter.

Inforpress/End