JOSÉ LEONÊS Lima, a 52-year-old man with 80 per cent disability, finally finished his 731 kilometre journey across Portugal in protest for disabled people’s rights to equal opportunities.
The Resident has followed Mr Lima’s journey (see The Resident July 13 edition, page 9) which ended on August 21 around 10am, when he arrived in Faro in front of the Civil Governors building, having been escorted by the traffic division of the GNR which have been responsible for his safety throughout the journey.
During his journey, Mr Lima travelled between 35 and 40 kilometres per day in a specially modified wheelchair with three wheels, manual pedals and a type of gear box.
His arrival in Faro was used as an opportunity to inaugurate a new elevator platform in the Civil Government building which will enable two people at once to be transported from the ground floor to the first floor.
This project, which cost around 25,000 euros, is part of a new government law that requires all public buildings to have wheelchair access within 10 years.
Mr Lima said: “The aim of my journey was to protest against the discrimination of disabled people.”
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