Peter's Blog

Iberianspices spicesiberia

Monday 23 September 2013

It's voting time here in the sun

It's election time here in Portugal but this election is a local election. As it's a local election i can vote as i am a resident but not in the national elections.

I had always votes while i lived in the UK  and never missed a vote. I remember meeting Harold Wilson when he called into the Labour club i was in with my uncle Alf. At that time the ordinary man in the street had as much chance as the educated classes. Micheal Foot, Dennis Skinner were the last of there kind. Now it's the University educated types and long gone is the time of the man in the street. I remember well when Margaret Thatcher came to power when inflation was almost 30% and in a job i had we got a 29.4% pay rise. Margaret Thatcher said that it was going to be difficult to get inflation down and she did. For over 45 years i have followed politics and always voted for those who i considered would do a good job at the time.

Coming up to the present i see no reason that i shouldn't vote here in Portugal. Today i went down to the local Junta to register to vote only to be told that i had to register a while ago the Junta is a council department, i asked just when and i was told that the deadline was six months ago.

This election i can't vote or have my say so i will wait till after the election and go and get registered ready for the next time.

Soon after i arrived home 4 cars arrived just down the lane from my house. They had music playing and someone on a microphone and about 12 people walking about. As they walked up the lane i greeted them in my limited Portuguese and one who could tell i was English came over to talk to me. After saying hello he asked how i liked life here in Portugal and if there was anything that i wanted done to make life better. I said the the only thing i would like to see done was for when home owners like me who register there home should get an information booklet. I would like to see a  booklet with up to date information as to where to get things done I.E. To register for the doctors, how to vote, where to pay house tax etc. After i registered my house i had no idea of other things i needed to do and this would be of great help.

Politicians as usual the world over agree and he did by saying yes it's a good idea as they value all nationals moving to Portugal. He left by giving me a number of leaflets and in them where pictures of all the party people, these same people were the ones who came to my village today. The person i spoke to was no more that the party leader but yet he took the time to speak to me and was in no way eager to get away from me. 

Would i vote for this party well that's known only to me as i believe that who i vote for is private. I do believe that it is my right and i should use my vote so the next election i will be there putting my X in the box






2 comments:

  1. hi been trying to comment on your blog but its so difficult, no wonder you dont get many. Any way hi! i like your blog and know your house as I saw it when I was looking for a house to buy. i am Portuguese but live in England so I can relate to the the things you say and find interesting to find more about the area where you live as I know from going therecon holiday. Good luck with the kitchen it's looking good!

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  2. Hi Maria. Thanks for your comments. I think you need to sign up to a Google account. I am glad that you didn't buy my house or were would i be now. Thanks

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