Praia, Cape Verde, 12 March – Portuguese construction group Mota-Engil plans to increase its turnover six-fold in Cape Verde over the next three years from 20 million euros at the moment to 120 million, the group’s chief executive said in Praia Thursday.

Speaking to Portuguese news agency Lusa, Jorge Coelho noted that the Portuguese group would compete for “every tender” relating to infrastructures and public works in the country, and that the Cape Verdean government was already aware of this.

Coelho added that, in the contracts already established, the group, via its subsidiary Mota Engil Engenharia Cabo Verde (Meec), it would focus on partnerships with local companies.

The priority areas will be construction of housing and roads, expansion of ports, construction of dams, alternative energies and solid waste treatment, the latter extending to construction of land fill sites.

As well as having acquired Cape Vedrean company Penta, which specialises in rental of equipment and machinery, the group also recently created Agir, in partnership with Cape Verdean counterparts, linked to the environment and integrated waste management.

Amongst the projects that the group has in Cape Verde is the modernisation of the port of Palmeira (Sal island), worth 18.8 million euros and which was awarded in December 2009, with a completion deadline of 12 months. (macauhub)