President of the Government determined to consolidate economic recovery to boost job and wealth creation
The President of the Government defended in Horta the commitment of public and private entities in the sustained consolidation of the signs of economic recovery taking place in the region, with the aim of promoting the creation of wealth and jobs on all islands.
"Our collective challenge - public and private entities - involves the consolidation of these signs, extending them in a sustainable manner to each and every one of our islands. We must implement our goal of wealth generation and employment creation as well as our goal of cohesion and development for our islands," said Vasco Cordeiro.
The President of the Government spoke at the ceremony of laying the first stone of the new slaughterhouse of Faial, an investment of about 4.4 million Euros. He considered that, although there are already clear signs that we are entering a recovery phase, regional economy is still faces major challenges, including job creation or the situation of the dairy and fisheries sectors.
"We have still many challenges to overcome." In this context, the President of the Government pointed out "the challenge of creating more and better jobs, the challenge of extending the very positive development already of the tourism sector to the agricultural and fisheries sectors, and the challenge of extending the innovative reform of air transport to maritime transport," mentioned the President of the Government.
"There are several indicators demonstrating in a consistent and sustained manner that we are winning challenges and, bearing in mind what we have already achieved, we have the confidence, knowledge and the ability to win those that are ahead of us," said Vasco Cordeiro.
Last year, net job creation grew five percent, energy consumption in the industrial sector increased 4.8 percent, the number of overnight stays grew 20 percent, car sales had a positive evolution of 27.7 percent. The year 2015 ended with an unemployment rate of 12.8 percent, which is far from the 18 percent 'peak' registered in the first quarter 2014.
In his speech, Vasco Cordeiro also pointed out the example of the Economic Activity Indicator - an indicator following the general evolution of the regional economy based on a range of indicators - which registered a significant acceleration in the last four months, always above 4%.
"Allow me to address a word of public recognition to Azorean entrepreneurs, who are surely among those that contributed to the positive evolution of several indicators demonstrating a sustained economic recovery in the Region," said the President of the Government.
Nevertheless, Vasco Cordeiro added that, since the beginning of this legislative period, the Government has made several investments that are already concluded or in different stages of implemented on Faial Island, representing an overall amount of 22 million Euros. These investments included the Flamengos Day Centre the rehabilitation of "O Castelinho" day nursery or the future Maritime School, among many others.
"The truth is that we aspire more for Faial, as for the entire Region, through the effective fulfilment of the agreement of trust we have established with the Azoreans," said Vasco Cordeiro.
"In that sense, I can announce that, after the period of implementation of various EU funds, the Government will launch by the end of first half of 2016 several tenders for major contract works: the rehabilitation of the road section between Largo Jaime de Melo and Ribeira do Cabo, the 2nd phase of the redevelopment of Horta Port and the construction of new Fire Station in Horta. As for the latter, its location will be soon defined as we are only awaiting the conclusion of the technical studies on the land where it will be built," said the President of the Government.