The new management of the Torrejanos Voluntary Firefighters Humanitarian Association (AHBVT) took office on the afternoon of Thursday, March 21st, to complete the 2023/2025 mandate that the previous management suspended in February, upon submitting their resignation en bloc, precipitating early elections. The list of Gonçalo Pereira, who succeeds Nuno Cruz as president of the association, was elected with 76% of the votes.
After being sworn in, President Gonçalo Pereira guaranteed, in his speech, “work and dedication” to “honor the trust they placed” in the leadership he leads, adding that they will maintain existing relationships with the various entities with which they work, “trying to whenever possible, improve synergy.” The new president thanked the partners who actively participated in the elections, highlighting the “overwhelming victory” achieved over the competing list led by Nuno Cruz, who attended the inauguration.
The new leader also praised the civic manner in which the members of the outgoing board faced the electoral process, recognizing and thanking the contribution of all those who played roles in the different social bodies, command and fire brigade, contributing to the construction of “this great heritage ”. As well as, he highlighted, the “unsurpassable” support from Torres Novas City Council, fundamental to the association’s growth. “We count on everyone to return peace and tranquility to such a noble association”, he concluded.
The mayor of Torres Novas, Pedro Ferreira, highlighted the importance of the voluntary and dedicated work provided by the association over the years, thanking all previous directors for their commitment and service to the community. Regarding the municipality’s support for the association, the mayor said that he does nothing more than his “obligation”, highlighting the honor and pride he feels for the association, just like the population of Torres Novas. “I am sure that this new direction, like the previous ones, will ennoble the association, increasingly seeking to have all the means available for the good of our city, municipality, region and the country”, he stressed.
Pedro Ferreira concluded by congratulating the new management and thanking the outgoing management “for the time they were here and for the way they collaborated with the chamber”. Arnaldo Santos, president of the general assembly board who is preparing to face a vote aimed at his dismissal (see other text on this page), wished him all the best and the greatest success in the performance of the leadership he assumed.
The new direction
The new board also includes Luís Martins, as vice-president, and Elisabete Caleiro as treasurer. Luís Pereira, Luís Rosa and Carlos Silva are, respectively, first, second and third secretaries. The new management has Filipa Cardoso, Nuno Nunes and Miguel Delgado as members. The substitute members are Luzia Serigado, Ana Braz and Manuel Júnior.
Torrejanos Firefighters members will vote to remove themselves from the board of the general assembly
Unhappy with the decision of the president of the general assembly, Arnaldo Santos, 30 members asked for an extraordinary meeting to be scheduled to vote on the dismissal of the board. Session is scheduled for April 12th.
The controversy surrounding the governing bodies of the Torrejanos Volunteer Firefighters Humanitarian Association (AHBVT) continues to rage. After a call for members to dismiss the board and the latter resigning en masse before voting, now, after early elections for the board, the associates are called to vote on the dismissal of the assembly board, chaired by Arnaldo Santos .
The decision to proceed with an extraordinary general assembly, which will take place on April 12th, at 8 pm, with the aim of overturning the table of that deliberative body, came from a group of more than 30 members, confirmed to O MIRANTE Arnaldo Santos, adding that the request was made about a month ago.
For the director, who may soon cease his duties if the majority of voting members so wishes, this request is nothing less than “a joke in bad taste. It’s stupid, you’re playing with serious things”, he told our newspaper, explaining that the justification given by the requesting group is that he himself, as chairman of the general assembly, acted badly in having recalled the session which had as one of its points the vote on the dismissal of the board chaired by Nuno Cruz, who resigned en masse four days before it took place. This is because, he adds, for the now applicants, this meeting could have served to clarify the partners. “To this day, as president of the assembly board, I did everything well, I did everything I was obliged to do”, highlighted Arnaldo Santos.
Outgoing management denounced alleged fraud
AHBVT was founded 92 years ago, currently has around 100 firefighters and saw in February the management resign en masse alleging “collusion” against its “restructuring” project and a “climate of intimidation” that culminated in the call for a general dismissal assembly. Meeting that did not take place because the mass dismissal occurred before that date. This management, led by Nuno Cruz, remember, came forward with the information that an alleged tax fraud of almost half a million euros had been hidden over the years.
Tags: LOOKOUT president Torrejanos Firefighters pacify association
