Local Portuguese citizens go to the polls Nov. 26 to elect CCP members. What's at stake?
NEW BEDFORD – More than 18,500 Portuguese citizens living in this region are eligible to vote in the Council of Portuguese Communities (CCP) election on Sunday, Nov. 26 and select the two councilors who will be representing the New Bedford, Boston and Providence constituency.
Polls will open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Consulate of Portugal in New Bedford, Consulate General of Portugal in Boston, and Vice-Consulate of Portugal in Providence.
Made up of 90 members scattered around the world, CCP is the Portuguese Government’s advisory body for policies relating to emigration and Portuguese communities abroad. CCP councilors are elected every four years.
One of the main duties of CCP members is to issue opinions, at the request of the Portuguese Government or the Assembly of the Republic, on bills and other legislative and administrative proposals, as well as on international agreements or regulations relating to Portuguese communities residing abroad.
The Council operates in Plenary, Permanent Council, Thematic Commissions, Regional Councils, Sections and Subsections.
Seven CCP members are elected in the United States, representing the following consular areas: New Bedford, Boston and Providence (2 councilors); Washington (1 councilor); Miami and Orlando (1 councilor); Newark and New York (2 councilors); and San Francisco (1 councilor).
Who are the local candidates?
Locally, there are two lists of candidates.
Incumbent João Luís Morgado Pacheco, of Rhode Island, who has been a CCP councilor since the 1990s, has decided not to seek reelection.
Incumbent Paulo Jorge de Jesus Martins, of Massachusetts, is seeking reelection and heading List A. He said he decided to run for a second mandate because he feels there is still a lot of work to be done for the Portuguese communities, especially in New England.
“This is also the spirit of a large group of councilors who are running for reelection, because the communities need to have more visibility, both in Portugal and in the host countries, and they also need more support from the Portuguese government. That’s why we feel that this work needs to continue and that we can’t leave it half-finished.”
He said these communities are a great asset and they have a lot to give.
“At the moment, Portuguese communities have great economic potential, as they are well integrated in their host countries, where they promote our products and traditions, tourism and investment in Portugal, and maintain proximity to our roots,” Martins said.
List A is also made up of Ana Isabel Rodrigues dos Reis-Couto (R.I. Day of Portugal president); and the alternate candidates Francisco José Marques de Viveiros (Casa dos Açores of New England president); and Helena Luísa Alves dos Santos Martins (Massachusetts physician).
Martins lists as priorities for List A advocating for the implementation of decentralized electronic voting, without leaving aside the possibility of voters continuing to be able to cast their vote in person or by mail; fighting for improved consular services and reduced waiting times; continue to promote Portuguese language learning and teaching in the U.S.; decreasing the bureaucracy for community organizations to receive financial and other type of support from Portugal; developing community initiatives to support elderly services; and developing a coordinated plan to boost the exportation of Portuguese products to North America, as well as support diaspora investment in Portugal.
List B is headed by Márcia Vitória Furtado Sousa, a former Vice-Consul of Portugal in Providence. Her running mates are João Jacinto Faria Correia (former R.I. senator); and the alternate candidates Leslie Rosina Ribeiro (New Bedford’s Discovery Language Academy executive director), and Claudinor de Oliveira Ferreira Salomão (former CCP member).
Sousa said she decided to run to the CCP to advocate for the interests of the local Portuguese community.
“In a way, taking on the responsibility of being an involved observer, being altruistic and moving forward in defense of what is mine and ours,” she said. “Heading up a project that implies the responsibility of being attentive to the community and everything that involves Portuguese citizens and Portuguese descendants… and be their spokesperson when dealing with Portuguese government entities.”
She said members of List B are great supporters of the work being done by the network of Portuguese associations and are committed to investing in the promotion of Portuguese culture, traditions, customs, and language so that the new generations can continue to enjoy “what identifies us as a community and a people.”
“We want to invest in the new generations, instilling in them a taste and desire to work for the common good, based on the knowledge and expertise of those who are responsible for everything that the Portuguese community has achieved to date,” she said. “We want to give the community a voice, both in terms of its needs and in terms of highlighting the work that has been done to elevate our community and the name of Portugal.”
She said members of List B are well-rounded and suited to attain these goals.
“It’s a commitment we feel suited to, given our professional backgrounds, performance in political office, and as promoters of the Portuguese language and active members of various associations and events,” she said.
What is the CCP responsible for?
Publish feedback, at the request of the Government or the Parliament, about projects and bill proposals as well as projects of legislative and administrative regulations; international agreements or community guidelines that relate to Portuguese communities living abroad;
Apprise questions that are placed by the Regional Governments of the Azores and Madeira concerning the Portuguese communities who are original from the autonomous regions;
Produce information and evaluations, under its own initiative, about all matters with respect to the Portuguese residents in foreign countries and to the development of the Portuguese presence in the world; directing them to the member of Government whose responsibility it is to handle matters of emigration and Portuguese communities;
Formulate proposals and recommendations about the objectives and the application of principles in politics and emigration.
What are the duties of CCP councilors?
Attend meetings of the Council and of the committees that may be created and which they belong to;
Participate in voting on the deliberations of those meetings;
Contribute to the proper functioning of such meetings and to the adequate performance of the Council’s powers;
Present an annual report at Regional Council meetings on the activities and situation of the community in the respective area of jurisdiction;
Cooperate with institutions or entities in the host countries on matters of interest to Portuguese communities.
Who is eligible to vote?
CCP members are elected by Portuguese citizens residing abroad who are eligible to vote for the Assembly of the Republic.
In order to be eligible to cast a vote, the individual’s name must appear in the electoral register at the consular office where they intend to vote.
Currently, there are 7,403 individuals registered to vote at the Consulate of Portugal in New Bedford. At the Consulate General of Portugal in Boston, there are 6,155 eligible voters registered, while there are 4,953 at the Vice-Consulate of Portugal in Providence.
Eligible voters must vote at the consular office where they are registered.
In order to exercise their right to vote, individuals must show valid identification, such as their citizen’s card, passport or any other official document bearing an up-to-date photo.
In the absence of a civil identification document, the voter can be identified by two voting citizens who certify under oath his/her identity, or by poll workers.
Where do you vote?
-Consulate of Portugal in New Bedford, 628 Pleasant St., Suite 204, New Bedford
-Consulate General of Portugal in Boston, 31 St. James Ave., Suite 350, Boston
-Vice-Consulate of Portugal in Providence, 56 Pine St., 6th floor, Providence
For more information, visit https://portaldascomunidades.mne.gov.pt/pt/conselho-das-comunidades-portuguesas
Lurdes C. da Silva may be reached at ldasilva@ojornal.com. To read more stories about the Portuguese-speaking community, in English and Portuguese, please visit ojornal.com.
This article originally appeared on The Herald News: Local Portuguese citizens go to the polls Nov. 26. What's at stake?
