Sistema de transporte público em Maputo: Soluções mistas e longa visão

Maputo é a capital económica e política de Moçambique, e isso não a iliba da pressão cosmopolitana que todas as grandes cidades sofrem. Maputo cidade e Maputo Provincia são habitada por mais de 2 milhoes de pessoas, este número é considerado acima do planificado e as infraestruturas estão sob pressão. Cerca de 80% dos habitantes reside em subúrbios ao redor de Maputo, e a economia informal é o motor da sua sobrevivência. Uma grande porção se desloca dos aredores para o centro da cidade e mercados para realizar suas tarefas laborais.

A Politica de Transportes Urbanos para o Grande Maputo[1] previa que em 2005, apenas dentro da Cidade de Maputo, existiam 2.500 autocarros, na sua maioria mini-buses a efectuaram cerca de 350.000 viagens de transporte de passageiros por dia e que a industria de transportes urbanos de passaeiros possui cerca de 3.500 viaturas, na sua maioria mini-buses recondicionados de 15 lugares e mini-buses recondicionados de 25 lugares pertencentes e operados por privados. Existiam cerca de 1.000 empresas privadas de transporte em Maputo e mais 600 na Matola.

A Associação dos Transportadores de Maputo (ATROMAP) opera na Cidade de Maputo e possui uma frota de 2.001 mini-buses; e a União dos Transportadores de Maputo (UTRAMAP) opera na Matola e entre Maputo e a Matola com 1.466 mini-buses. Os Transportes Publicos de Maputo (TPM), compahia gerida pelo Estado, em 2005 dos 80 carros, apenas 25 encontravam-se operacionais. Actualmente a sua frota é de 196 autocarros, de 90 lugares, 35 sentados e o remanescente de pé), em que 8 são autocarros executivos de luxo de marcas Man–Diesel, Mercedes, Yutong, Iveco, Yaxing e Zonda Bus e Marcopolo, em que 3 da marca Yutong são movidos à gás. Os TPM transportam diariamente 74.000 passageiros.

Feitas as contas, operando em plena capacidade, os transportadores de Maputo podem evacuar  em simultaneo aproximadamente 70.000 passageiros numa so viagem, o que seria suficiente para aliviar o problema da falta de transporte. Mas onde reside o problema e quais as soluções?

Photo: TPM em Maputo, by Jay Cee.

A capacidade operacional dos transportes no dia-a-dia é diferente das estatisticas. Muitos destes carros encontram-se obsoletos, com constantes visitas mecánicas e fraca manutenção, hipotéticamente diria que quase metade da frota nao funciona em simultaneo. Os carros de 15 lugares não oferecem uma capacidade de evacuação eficaz nas horas de ponta, onde a demanda aumenta e os engarrafamentos dificultam o fluxo de viaturas do centro a periferia e vice-versa. Uma cidade sem meios eficazes de conecção entre as várias redes de transporte não consegue resolver seus problemas com base em viaturas apenas. Em Economia dos Transportes (temos alguns Moçambicanos com essa especialidade), a problemática dos transportes é muitas vezes solucionada através da criação de redes mais eficazes de comunicação e maiores alternativas e diversidades de acesso ao transporte. É neste ultimo aspecto que irei me concentrar nos próximos parágrafos.

O problema dos transportes tem sido analizado numa prespectiva pouco ousada e a curto prazo, o que não coaduna com a dinámica dos custos crescentes dos transporte e crescimento demográfico. Com a constante subida dos preços de combustíveis, os Países não produtores (e mesmo os produtores) tem estado a implementar políticas a médio e curto prazo de substituição de hábitos de consumo. O encorajamento na compra de viaturas com reduzida cilindragem e com efeitos menos nocivos ao meio-ambiente (carros modernos) é acompanhada pela penalização na aquisição de viaturas com características contrárias.

Contudo, qualquer política na cobrança de impostos que pode ser impopular, deve ser compensada por outras que revelem melhorias no corrolário do sacrifício público. Nenhum País resolveu seus problemas de transporte sem uma forte intervenção do Estado. Há que investir no Desenvolvimeto da Capacidade dos TPM, em termos materiais e humanos. Uma quota dessa gestão deve ser transferida ao privado de modo a conceder competitividade e maior abertura na prestação de contas, sem nunca esfaziá-la do seu objectivo social primordial.

Desenvolvimento passa incontornavelmente pela mudança de mentalidade. A primeira é o respeito pelo tráfego e a vida na via pública. A segunda é o incentivo ao uso de bicicletas em distâncias moderadas. Estes dois aspectos podem melhorar a qualidade de vida dos munícipes. Países desenvolvidos e fabricantes de automóveis de primeira linha, para além de buscarem soluções híbridas nao abdicaram do uso da bicicleta e até criaram modelos em que o aparelho é movido a mini-motor carregado por uma bacteria (vide imagem abaixo).

Photo: Jay Cee (Electric Bicycle, or E-Bike, movido a motor eléctrico, muito comuns na China, Japão, Australia, Nova Zelândia, Alemanha, Holanda e outros).

Estas medidas exigem uma forte Eduação Cívica, e a re-introdução desta disciplina no ensino primário é um imperativo de desenvolvimento. De pequeno se torce o pepino e é nesta idade que se cultivam padrões de socialização. Educação Cívica deve ser extensiva aos mais velhos, e é por isso que temos os canais de comunicação pública, para educar e não para replicar modelos de socialização da sétima arte. A estes canais se exige muita criatividade para competir com os tradicionais sensacionalistas e entertainers, nada que uma equipa bem fromada e motivada não possa executar.

O descongestionamento da via pública, aumento da frota pública gerida em parceria com o privado, reduçao da dependência dos preços dos combustiveis e Éducação Cívica é um imperativo para criação de alternativas de transporte mais sólidas e definitivas, como os Commuter Trains. Maputo tem potencial para albergar este tipo de tecnologias, bastando apenas que se focalize nesse sentido, busque parcerias, e faça os seus deveres de casa com um espírito de coesão. O maior problema de África continua a ser liderança e como em tudo, liderança fará diferença neste processo. Pessoas comprometidas a executar planos a longo prazo e mesmo apôs sucessão de lideranças. Uma coisa é o objectivo individual ou de grupos, outra é o objectivo comum, de cidadania e este deve estar acima, bem desenhado e compreendido por todos para que não haja descontinuidade do positivo. Vide o link em anexo:

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[1] Política dos transportes urbanos para o Grande Maputo; Dezembro 2006; USAID.

What lessons do we have from Japan’s Constitution making experience?

Porque em Mozambique se discute a revisao constitucional, lembrei me de um seminario em 2010 em que apresentei reflexoes sobre a Constituicao Japonesa e abaixo se encontram as principais conclusoes por mim reportadas. Alguns aspectos deste texto podem servir de reflexao para Mocambique embora eu nao tenha feito esse estudo comparativo. Voila:


" Japan’s experience in Constitution making is unique, not only due to the environment where it was created and all the lobbies and backstage scenarios, but mainly for its articles, specially the Article 9. Due to his peculiarity, the following lessons can be taken:

1-      A constitution needs to reflect the willing of the people, which kind of system, government and main rules the people want to follow. A State is an autonomous territory with sovereignty, population and national symbols. The population needs to decide which kind of government they want and the Institutions that will exercise the monopoly of use of force. Fortunately Japan people were in line with the new precepts aligned in their new constitution.

2-      Transference or transplant of laws that was the case of the new Japanese Peace Constitution after war, government’s position in the negotiations is very important. Even though the war was lost, Japanese officers didn’t face any retaliation and the Emperor kept his position as symbol of State although he lost powers as an omnipotent god. The book Written by Bernie Weisz entitled “Unit 731, the testimony” explains how Japanese officers used data from biological experiments to negotiate with USA the freedom of officers involved in what he called “crime wars”. One lesson, even when a war is lost you have to have secret weapons to negotiate better terms of surrender, and in that issue Japan did a good job thanks to Genenal Shiro Ishii and the good timing use of opportunities that the country had after the atomic bombs. Note that Japanese officer failed to address the terms of surrender just after the Potsdam Declaration that leaded to Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombing.        

3-      Change the principles of one Constitution using the same people who drew the previous might not be a good transparency option. Matsumoto’s draft did not change the basic principles of Meiji Constitution such as military issues and they had no intention or they were not capable of including issues related with human rights, liberalism and democracy. To overcome this problem, an outside advice might increase to reflect the division of power and decentralization needed in any good democracy.

4-      Any amendment on the constitution needs to follow the same national willing to do so. The Japanese Constitution is completing 64 years this year, and no revisions so far, despite a lot of debates and discussions about the way forward for the constitution, there is no consensus about which kind of Constitution to draw (kaikenron vs. kakenron shukenron vs. gokenron). More than 50% of Japanese people agree with the revision and more than 50% because of the Article 9. The USA constitution has about 224 years and 21 amendments, so maybe due to this all uncertain position of Japan’s future, the legislatures should think about which directions to take. But as Japan is not unanimous on which kind of changes to do, I would suggest a partial amendment, at least to accommodate new contemporary issues such as the use of self-defense forces in overseas operations."

Note: Chapter II: Renunciation of War; Article 9: Aspiring sincerely to an international peace based on justice and order, the Japanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as means of settling international disputes. 2) In order to accomplish the aim of the preceding paragraph, land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never be maintained. The right of belligerency of the state will not be recognized.

What is Development?

l  My definition of Development?

l  My definition of Poverty?

l  What Development Economists should do to promote these definitions?

There is no single definition for development and neither a common sense in any definition that we can give. For instance, Todaro (2009:14-27) doesn’t dare to bring his own definition, he makes a comprehensive historic overview of trends for defining development and finishes with Sen’s approach, development of capabilities, freedom, happiness, among others.

But my aim here is not to express previous definitions. As experts in Development we have our own targets regarding how we perceive development inserted in our own biases and visions of the world. A lot of critic has been done by scholars regarding traditional definitions of development and poverty. The main problem with the traditional point of view is that many scholars, even today, look at Development through the scope of those who reached certain patterns of social, economical, structural and institutional changes first and target the same patterns for late comers. This is what is called Euro centrism or westernization and for many it’s influenced by Globalization.

We may see a similar problem when we define poverty. In order to minimize the uniformity of patterns for poverty, the World Bank introduced different levels of poverty. It’s called absolute poverty if someone lives below $1.25 at 2005 purchasing-power parity (PPP). While it is not an easy issue to define the poverty lines (poverty gap at 1.25 US$ day; poverty gap 2 US$ day), there is Relative Poverty (Poverty gap at national poverty line; Poverty gap at rural poverty line; Poverty gap at urban poverty line) which is almost the same as measuring income inequality as if a society gets a more equal income distribution, relative poverty generally fall. These are useful instruments, but do they represent the real concept of how different societies perceive poverty?

As Jonathan Hobbs stated, poverty is also a complex and multidimensional concept that has economic, social, political, environmental, and other facets. Poverty is not only a matter of low or no incomes, although it is often expressed in these absolute terms. Poverty can also be relative whereby it could be a lack of access to education, health, and other essential services, or what we call the basic needs dimension. It could be a lack of self-respect and dignity that poor people experience, or what we call the social exclusion dimension. Or it could be a risk or likelihood of falling into poverty and insecurity and a relative exposure to sudden shocks, such as droughts or floods, or what we call the vulnerability dimension. There's also a transient dimension to poverty which describes when people move in and out of it. Therefore, there are very multifaceted ways of perceiving and interpreting poverty as well as development.

In my own definition, Poverty is lack of hope. Hope here must be perceived in all senses of self-deprivation. So, it’s a more emotional and spiritual feeling than material. Absolute poor are not those who live below $1 day. Who needs $1.25 a day when you have food from the ground, meat of the corral, water from the spring, eats firewood bread, and extracts honey from the bees and milk from the sheep? And if you don’t have all these resources available, (those who live in the desert, nomads, and other environmental restricted areas) but you still have means and tools to overcome your daily deprivations, you may still be satisfied (happy) therefore not feeling poor. Being unsure of what your tomorrow will be is worse than not having markets.

What about Development? In my definition Development is self emancipation represented in a societal progress to reach its targets. In this definition there are two dimensions. An individual (self achievements) who overlaps to the group where this person is inserted (society). Therefore, a person is a key for development. A serious investment in education will come out with new ideas and solutions to overcome common problems. In a more globalized world, where development is also perceived as reaching international patterns, the solution for development is still education.

What should development economists do in order to promote these definitions? It’s not a single action that will change the status quo. As development and poverty affects primarily the poor countries, scholars from these countries who perceive advanced studies have the role to write and talk about the best policies for their countries. Unfortunately, in the case of Africa, most of the brains end up serving different interests because the absorption levels of their contributions are weak in their home countries. But that’s not the only problem. I do believe that these brains could contribute more even without returning to their home countries. The Information Technologies are very important. There are plenty of things that can be communicated by word, but actions can also be efficient. For those who belong to developed countries, development studies was always associated with westernization. This view needs to change. A better approach should be to listen more to what these countries have to say. More fieldworks and case studies are needed.

Bibliography:

l  Todaro, Michael P.; Stephen C. Smith; Economic Development; Tenth Edition, Addison-Wesley and Pearson Education; England – USA; 2009.

l  Sen, Amartya; Development as Freedom; Anchor Books; New York; 1999

l  Hobbs, Jonathan; Making SEA More Relevant to Poverty Reduction Policies, Plans, and Programs; World Bank  

Doing Business in Africa - Mozambique