How Brief is Brief? A Call for Transparency

A Promenade Closed for Too Long

The promenade connecting Funchal and Câmara de Lobos (Passeio Público Marítimo) remains closed - and until today, without any clear explanation. First shut down in early 2024, it reopened briefly in May of the same year, only to be closed again in the beginning of October. Now well into 2025, residents and visitors still face barriers, with no timeline for when the walkway will be accessible again.

“We Promise to be Brief”

At the center of public frustration is a small sign near the closure that reads: “We promise to be brief” But with the promenade closed for more than half a year - and still no public update on when it will reopen - many now see the message as misleading. People feel ignored, and some have stopped taking the closure seriously. The result is easy to see: walkers are climbing over barriers and using the path anyway. It’s not the right thing to do - but this kind of response is a direct result of poor communication and vague promises from authorities.

A Vital Link, Not Just a Leisure Path

This stretch of promenade is not just a place to stroll by the sea. It is a vital and important pathway for many. Locals use it to commute on foot to and from work, while tourists choose it to avoid the noise and danger of the busy road above - a route that in some parts lacks sidewalks altogether. Closing the promenade for such a long time without offering a clear way forward shows little respect for the people who rely on it. Not everyone has a car. And for those walking along the main road, the detour is not only inconvenient but in some cases unsafe.

Where’s the Transparency?

If someone tell me something is done briefly, I am inclined to check on it regularly, expecting that things are resolved in brief. It’s not hard to imagine how many people keep returning regularly to the promenade, checking if it’s finally open, only to find the same barriers still in place. At that point, they’re left with a choice: walk away again, or climb the barrier.

What could help? Providing real updates, posting a reopening date, and explaining the delay. Until that happens, the sign promising to be “brief” will only serve as a symbol of how little has been said - and how much the people are being played with. Constructions can take longer, everyone knows that, but communication can not lack behind or as in this case, misguide the public.

This isn’t just about a blocked walkway. It’s about responsibility, safety, and fairness. And above all, it’s about being honest with the people who live here, work here, and visit this coastline every day.