Luanda – The Angolan head of State, José Eduardo dos Santos, said Friday in Luanda, that laying the foundation stone for the upgrading of the former Roque Santeiro market zone is a new chapter in the history of Sambizanga district and of Luanda at large.

The president was speaking at a meeting with Sambizanga-born elders, after laying the stone for the Roque Santeiro zone infrastructures executive project and restructuring of the Boavista and Miramar hillside, as part of the district upgrading programme.

   
The head of State He thanked for the message of congratulation, saying the words touched him so much for the tender, friendship and solidarity and mark a new moment for Sambizanga.

He stated that the former market he said was considered historical, caused moments of disgust and frustrations.

 
The president said that although it combined various economic and financial interests, the market was an area that did not dignify Luanda from the social and modern coexistence point of view that characterises the great cities.

Jose Eduardo dos Santos stated that there were those that considered that the market should be kept unchanged, but there were also others that thought it did not dignify and the situation should be altered and replaced with a space to the modern standards that secured the social wellbeing and security.

 
According to him, “today we have changed the situation. It was not easy. There was much misunderstanding. (…) the problems associated with criminals, several disgraces that occurred in the site, inappropriate behaviours, trafficking of all type, including drugs, growing crime that did not dignify anyone, I think, have gone.”

José Eduardo dos Santos mentioned the projects as ambitious, stressing that with the project “we are writing a new chapter in the history of Sambizanga district.”

He thus appealed for the participation of everyone in transforming Sambizanga district into a reference, hoping that the country becomes a world reference.

 
“We are assuming a great responsibility. It is not the responsibility of the president alone, of the Executive, of the ruling party or other organs of the State. The prime responsibility is of those who live in the district, those who will work here and are in permanent contact with the populations, those that need to change their lives for better,” stated the president.

According to the president, a process to improve the living of everyone is in progress.

In their turn, the Sabizanga-born elders, in a message to the president, said that with the project there is the certainty that they, as well as their children and grand-children, will live in a new Sambizanga, different and good to live in as they always dreamed.