Raphael Michilis Fonseca
Police arrested four people connected with the nightclub fire that killed 231 in Santa Maria, southern Brazil. Officials did not reveal the names of the detainees, but reports say they are the two co-owners of the club, Mauro Hoffman and Elissandro Spohr, and two members of the band Gurizada Fandangueira. Some reports also say the chief of security was among the arrested.
The suspects are being temporarily held for five days while police carry out investigation into the blaze. The imprisonment can be extended for five more days until the incident is clarified, Brazilian police said.
Brazilian authorities say the final answer to who are the responsible for the fire in the nightclub will hardly be found in less than 30 days of investigation.
The club owners argue that the establishment had been inspected by a fire marshal and had a temporary authorisation to be open. Police informed they suspected the owners of the Kiss club could be getting rid of evidences.
The journalist and Doctor in Political Science, Leonoardo Sakamoto, also argues that the lack license is not an automatic answer to find the culprit for this episode that left the country standing still.
He says in his column on www.uol.com.br that long bureaucratic processes and corruption play a major part in irregularities in licensing businesses in Brazil.
According to Sakamoto there is a well known mafia installed around the processes of emission and inspection of licenses to bars, restaurants and nightclubs in Sao Paulo and many other cities in Brazil. He also says it is almost impossible to clean public service from those mafias.
“The fact is that any mayor that try to change this reality, simplifying e digitalizing the process to obtain certificates and licenses and punishing public workers involved in corruption is more likely to fall before manage to tackle the mafias”, said Sakamoto.
On the other hand of the discussion, yesterday, Sao Paulo Mayor's Office announced a meeting with nightclub owners to revise licensing legislation and inspection in the city. Control of attendees, and emergency exit are two of the main subjects Sao Paulo officials want to discuss with club owners.
Sao Paulo's director of the Venues' Use Control, Silvio de Sicco, said his department has only 19 engineers, but they were enough to do the licensing and inspection work.
"I'd like to have 200 people, but the ones I have are enough, because they are exclusively focused in that activity," said de Sicco adding that periodical inspections are done in nightclubs in Sao Paulo with priority on those that congregate more people and serve alcohol.
The meeting date is not set yet and does not aim to change the current legislation, as the mayor's office say they are enough. The idea is to hear entrepreneurs's opinions on how to enforce them more efficiently, said Nunzio Briguglio, Sao Paulo's Communication Secretary.
Police arrested four people connected with the nightclub fire that killed 231 in Santa Maria, southern Brazil. Officials did not reveal the names of the detainees, but reports say they are the two co-owners of the club, Mauro Hoffman and Elissandro Spohr, and two members of the band Gurizada Fandangueira. Some reports also say the chief of security was among the arrested.
The suspects are being temporarily held for five days while police carry out investigation into the blaze. The imprisonment can be extended for five more days until the incident is clarified, Brazilian police said.
Brazilian authorities say the final answer to who are the responsible for the fire in the nightclub will hardly be found in less than 30 days of investigation.
The club owners argue that the establishment had been inspected by a fire marshal and had a temporary authorisation to be open. Police informed they suspected the owners of the Kiss club could be getting rid of evidences.
A BROADER VIEW
Now Brazilian population asks for a broader investigation into who are the responsible for the tragedy. Through social media and comments in news websites they claim that authorities should also to be investigated.The journalist and Doctor in Political Science, Leonoardo Sakamoto, also argues that the lack license is not an automatic answer to find the culprit for this episode that left the country standing still.
He says in his column on www.uol.com.br that long bureaucratic processes and corruption play a major part in irregularities in licensing businesses in Brazil.
According to Sakamoto there is a well known mafia installed around the processes of emission and inspection of licenses to bars, restaurants and nightclubs in Sao Paulo and many other cities in Brazil. He also says it is almost impossible to clean public service from those mafias.
“The fact is that any mayor that try to change this reality, simplifying e digitalizing the process to obtain certificates and licenses and punishing public workers involved in corruption is more likely to fall before manage to tackle the mafias”, said Sakamoto.
On the other hand of the discussion, yesterday, Sao Paulo Mayor's Office announced a meeting with nightclub owners to revise licensing legislation and inspection in the city. Control of attendees, and emergency exit are two of the main subjects Sao Paulo officials want to discuss with club owners.
Sao Paulo's director of the Venues' Use Control, Silvio de Sicco, said his department has only 19 engineers, but they were enough to do the licensing and inspection work.
"I'd like to have 200 people, but the ones I have are enough, because they are exclusively focused in that activity," said de Sicco adding that periodical inspections are done in nightclubs in Sao Paulo with priority on those that congregate more people and serve alcohol.
The meeting date is not set yet and does not aim to change the current legislation, as the mayor's office say they are enough. The idea is to hear entrepreneurs's opinions on how to enforce them more efficiently, said Nunzio Briguglio, Sao Paulo's Communication Secretary.
No comments:
Post a Comment