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afrol News, 21 March - The archipelago of Cape Verde officially has 70 lighthouses; a low number for the 965 km of steep, rugged and rocky coastline of these 15 islands with increased international and national ocean traffic, near major north-south sea routes. However, only 30 of these are actually functioning. The head of the Port Authorities of the islands' lee-side, Joćo de Deus Silva, yesterday in Praia confirmed that only 60 percent of Cape Verde's 70 lighthouses were operative. Silva lamented the situation, which he characterised as a "serious" problem to coastal security and was bound to "create distrust" with naval traffic in Cape Verde. He took notice that Cape Verdean maritime authorities were "not fit" to uphold required stands. There had been an enduring lack of funds for the maintenance of the lighthouses, Silva explained, and responsible for maintenance at the Port Authorities had not received the taxes collected for these purposes. According to Silva, the situation was of highest concern on the islands of Santiago (the principal island, where the capital Praia is located), Maio, Brava, Santa Luzia and Real Branco. Here, most lighthouses have been abandoned. Sea conditions around Cape Verde are known to be treacherous and there are many submerged rocks, especially around the southern islands of Fogo and Bravo, which can be subject to significant disruption. Cape Verde is an important staging post for trans-Atlantic sea traffic, a fact that brings significant foreign exchange to the country. Also tourists have found increased delight in yachting around the archipelago.
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