The Government of the Azores, which met in Ponta Delgada on April 28, has determined the following:

1. Partially suspend the Ponta Delgada Municipal Master Plan (PDM), located in an area adjacent to Canada das Murtas and the Caminho Velho do Pico da Pedra, after hearing the association of municipalities of São Miguel and the Ponta Delgada City Hall, with the sole and exclusive purpose of building the São Miguel Eco Park.

The São Miguel Eco Park, which is included in the Waste Management Strategic Plan of the Autonomous Region of the Azores (PEGRAA), will enable the implementation of waste management, final processing and energy recovery operations under environmental protection, public health and safety conditions.

The selected site for the installation of that infrastructure is considered to be most appropriate according to size and location criteria as it is located in the proximity of the current Solid Waste Processing Plant. This infrastructure is designed to serve the populations from several municipalities on the island of São Miguel.
 
2. Approve a resolution to fund projects to support the renewal of the road, water supply network, solid waste collection and the preparation of a municipal spatial planning study for the city of Horta.
This is a global investment of nearly 3.6 million Euros, co-funded in 85% by the FEDER programme under PROCONVERGÊNCIA and by the Regional Government, through the indirect financial cooperation programme under the Cooperation initiatives with Local Authorities.
The financial aid awarded by the Government will correspond to the payment of 70% of the interest loans to finance investment projects in road and water supply networks and solid waste collection. In addition, the Government will also subsidise 50% of the interest loans to fund the spatial planning study.

3. Approve the revision of the structures of the Regional Secretariat for the Economy which provides, under the current organisation chart, the significant reduction of executive positions and the subsequent reduction of the department’s total wage bill.
The structure now adopted estimates the extinction of fifteen intermediate services as well as of eleven executive and management positions, representing an annual financial impact of nearly half a million Euros.
The Council has also approved the new structure of the Regional Directorate for Communities, which reduces the number of management positions, foreseeing annual savings in salary costs of about 10%.
Following this amendment, the Regional Directorate for Communities will now comprise the Directorate of Emigration, Immigration and Returns (DSEIR) in Ponta Delgada and the Information, Exchange and Cultural Support Office in Angra do Heroísmo and the Migration Support Office in Horta.

4. Taking into account the renewal and adaptation policy for schools, the Government approved a Resolution stipulating the payment deadlines for the purchase of a 30,000 square metre terrain, owned by the Bernardo Manuel Silveira Estrela Social Support and Shelter Centre (C.A.S.A), for the construction of the new premises of the Gaspar Fructuoso Basic Education School in the municipality of Ribeira Grande, corresponding to an investment of 1,500,000.00 Euros (one million and five hundred thousand Euros).
The new school, whose works will start later this year, is the second school contract work in the same municipality as the public call for tenders for the construction of the Rabo de Peixe Basic Education School has been already been launched.

5. Create the Interdepartmental Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation (CICTI), a structure designed to ensure the coordination between various governmental departments in the implementation of scientific research, technological development and innovation projects.
This new entity, which will operate under the supervision of the Regional Secretariat for Science, Technology and Infrastructures, will be in charge of developing a methodology for the registration of the support awarded by the services and bodies of the Regional Administration to the areas of science, technology and innovation; proposing a strategy for the definition of priorities and efficiency gains in the support granted to the aforementioned areas; monitoring and assessing the implementation of measures to support technological development, combining them with other strategies, planning tools, support programmes and measures. 

By creating this new interdepartmental body, the Government intends to reinforce the effectiveness of the investment made in the region in the field of research, development and innovation, thereby enhancing the desired returns to the regional economy.

6. Authorise the launching of a public call for tenders for the contract work to renew the surrounding spaces of Capitães Generais Palace in Angra do Heroísmo  with a base price of € 1,035,000.00 (one million, thirty-five thousand Euros) and a completion period of 300 (three hundred) days.
This decision falls within the goals stipulated by the Regional Government to carry out urban renewal interventions with the purpose of protecting and enhancing the natural and cultural heritage of the Region, which includes the area surrounding the Capitães Generais Palace, classified as building of public interest since 1980.
 
7. Approve a proposal for Regional Legislative Decree which merges the three port authorities (São Miguel and Santa Maria, Terceira and Graciosa, “Triângulo” islands [São Jorge, Pico and Faial] and Western Group) into a single entity, the Ports of the Azores – Anonymous Society, based in the city of Horta.

The model now adopted, which falls within a broader process to restructure and modernise the Regional Administration, aims to implement a simple and flexible institutional solution, without disrupting the already established port jurisdiction areas, and to improve the management of financial and human resources. This structuring process will enable the reduction of costs and the rise of productivity levels and organisational efficiency.

It is important to mention that Port Authority workers will be integrated in this new entity, without any change whether in the legal status of labour relations, profession or compensation statute.
With the merging of former Port Authorities (APSM, APTG and APTO), the Governments expects to achieve annual savings of about 2.2 million Euros in the salaries of administrative boards, whose overall number of members will be reduced from 11 to 3, as well as in the acquisition of supplies and services.

Following the guidelines stipulated at the last Council of the Government, a proposal for Regional Legislative Decree restructuring the regional business sector in the area of environment was approved, hence extinguishing SPRAçores – Society for Environmental Promotion and Management, S.A. by merging it with the Society for Environmental Management and Nature Conservation, S.A.
The need to reduce administrative and business management costs required the restructuring of these entities since the scope of activity of the latter allows the execution of this operation without reducing the intervention capacity of the regional business sector in any environmental management area and without detriment to employees.
 
8. Following the work developed by the Regional Government and its social partners in the first quarter of this year, the Government will approve a proposal for Regional Legislative Decree implementing a comprehensive reform on the operation of the Incentive Scheme for the Regional Development of the Azores (SIDER).

These amendments are intended to reinforce the reimbursement rates of various subsystems under SIDER, especially in the subsystems comprising the Quality and Innovation sectors, the attraction of tourist flows to the Region and the commercial urbanism, hence increasing the financial aid for companies with export capacity and promoting the reduction of imports as well as the enhancement of resources.
In addition, an intermediate level will be created for the applications from the islands of Pico and Faial.

The current Incentive Scheme for Development aims to create the necessary conditions for the establishment of stronger and competitive companies, boosting their capacity to generate stable and sustainable employment. 
The proposal to be submitted by the Government to the Parliament has already been analysed by the Regional Council of Incentives with unanimous agreement. In this regard, the Chambers of Commerce of Ponta Delgada, Angra do Heroísmo and Horta have also been heard as well as the Industrial and Commercial Association of Pico (ACIP), the Azores Building Industry and Public Works Association (AICOPA), and the Hotel, Restaurant and Related Business Association of Portugal (AHRESP).

9. Appoint Jorge Manuel Ferreira Leonardo Gonçalves to the Administration Board of the Santo Espírito Hospital of Angra do Heroísmo, E.P.E., for the position of councillor, replacing the previous incumbent.
Jorge Leonardo, aged 50, was born in Angra do Heroísmo. He holds a degree in Business Management from the University of the Azores and has advanced training in same area from the Portuguese Catholic University. He has held administration positions in several private companies.