S\u00e3o Paulo \u2013 Out goes Gilberto Kassab (PSD party member), in goes Fernando Haddad (PT). As of January 1st, S\u00e3o Paulo will have a new mayor, from a different party, with novel political and ideological orientations. One thing, though, remains the same: the Arab roots of the overseer of Brazil’s biggest Metropolis. <\/p>\n
Kassab, whose term in office is about to end, is a grandson of Lebanese grandparents, Haddad, elected last Sunday (28th), is a son to a Lebanese father. Both feel at home in S\u00e3o Paulo’s Arab community, and yet, in the election and in their political careers, they have been in opposing camps. <\/p>\n
The current mayor backed the candidacy of his predecessor and political mentor Jos\u00e9 Serra (PSDB), who was defeated in the municipal elections. On his part, the mayor-elect was supported by his party\u2019s two leading figures, former president Luiz In\u00e1cio Lula da Silva and current president Dilma Rousseff. Haddad was minister of Education from 2005 until January this year. <\/p>\n
Haddad\u2019s family history is akin to those of countless other immigrants. His father was a haberdasher, and the mayor-to-be worked in the trade while young. "I used to work on 25 de Mar\u00e7o Street, I would walk around the Br\u00e1s and Bom Retiro [neighbourhoods] with a catalogue under my arm,\u201d he said this Monday (29th) at a press conference, while discussing the revitalization of the city\u2019s central area. The three locations he mentioned are wholesale and popular trade hubs. The former two boast a strong Arab presence. <\/p>\n
Haddad, however, did not stay in trade; instead he went to Law School at the University of S\u00e3o Paulo, where he presided over Academic Centre August 11th, then pursued a master\u2019s in Economics, a PhD in Philosophy, and finally opted for an academic career. <\/p>\n
The newest Arab in charge of S\u00e3o Paulo \u2013 prior to Kassab, the city was governed from 1993 to 1996 by Paulo Maluf (PP), another Lebanese descendent \u2013, one of Haddad\u2019s greatest trump cards is the acceptance he enjoys in federal government circles. This Monday he met with president Dilma in Bras\u00edlia to discuss the city. "S\u00e3o Paulo is a global, worldly city, and as such it needs to be more in line with the state and federal governments, for the sake of the well-being of its people,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He said he wants to carry out a \u201chigh-level\u201d transition with his predecessor, and that the president will set up a federal government team to follow up the process and establish \u201ca working routine\u201d between the two administrations. <\/p>\n
According to the mayor-elect, partnership between the municipal, state, and federal governments is important anywhere in the world. He cited examples of large metropolises like New York, London, Paris and Shanghai. "Investment here [in S\u00e3o Paulo] needs to have nationwide repercussion,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
When questioned about international cooperation following his mention of foreign cities, the mayor-elect told ANBA that "these relations are currently low in intensity.\u201d He spoke of \u201crevitalizing\u201d the Secretariat of Foreign Relations. <\/p>\n
This Tuesday (30th), Haddad will attend meetings with state governor Geraldo Alckmin and mayor Kassab. Alckmin is affiliated with PSDB, the same party as his defeated adversary Serra\u2019s, and the main opponent to Dilma\u2019s and the mayor-elect\u2019s PT. "My first action will be strategic alignment with the state and federal governments,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Given the high crime rate, security is one of the issues to be aligned with the state, since this sphere of government is the main agent to this end in Brazil. \u201cThe mayor cannot exempt himself from this task,\u201d said Haddad. He said he wants to "emphasize the community-oriented\u201d character of the Civil Guard, the City Hall, and the \u201cdelegate operation,\u201d an agreement between the state and municipalities allowing for military policemen to work for city halls on off days. The MP is commanded by the state government and carries out police patrol work. <\/p>\n
Decentralization <\/b><\/p>\n
Right from the start of his four-year term, the new mayor intends to propose an \u201curban reform\u201d based on the \u201cFuture Arc\u201d notion set forth in his administration plan, which provides for decentralized development through job creation in \u201cdormitory\u201d neighbourhoods and a supply of housing in neighbourhoods with strong economic activity, so as to bring workers nearer the workplace. \u201cWe want to expand the city sustainably,\u201d he said. "This reconciliation will allow for the periphery to reunite with the centre,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
According to him, the reform will take place across five different legal frameworks: Director Plan, zoning, urban operations, Code of Works, and tax laws. Changes to these areas will require approval from the City Council. <\/p>\n
Haddad expects to mirror, in the City Hall, the same coalition of parties which backs the federal government in the National Congress. On which side the current mayor\u2019s PSD will be is yet to be known. \u201cBut I do not believe the PSD will systematically oppose us,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Haddad also promised "complete transparency" in City Hall actions. "We will adhere strictly to the Information Access Act,\u201d he said, adding that this is an \u201cabsolute, fundamental right\u201d of citizens. \u201cWhatever can be made available online will be made available online,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He also said he aims to create a Municipal Comptroller General\u2019s Office to inspect the actions of the administration, similar to the Federal Comptroller General\u2019s Office. "Creating a \u2018Transparency Portal\u201d for the municipality will be very useful for keeping track of the City Hall\u2019s different partnerships,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum<\/b><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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