The Regional Secretary for Education and Culture highlighted in Vila do Porto the investment made by the Azorean Government in the areas of culture and education on the island of Santa Maria in recent years, which amounts to more than 10 million Euros. 

Avelino Meneses spoke at the end of a visit to the redevelopment works of the "Airport Cinema," stressing that this work, "an aspiration" for all Santa Maria islanders, is nearing the end of the construction phase, which will be followed by the acquisition of equipment. 

The ongoing intervention, according to the Regional Secretary, falls within the strategy to safeguard the Region's immovable cultural heritage and preserves the memory of a relevant infrastructure and fundamental time in the history of the Azores and Santa Maria. 

The redevelopment works of the "Airport Cinema" and the contract work for the removal and cleaning of the roof debris represent an investment of approximately 4.5 million Euros. 

In turn, Avelino Meneses announced that the project for the redevelopment of the old Tower and Control Room of Santa Maria Airport was recently launched in a partnership with ANA - Aeroportos de Portugal SA. With a budget of more than 403 thousand Euros and a completion period of eight months, the contract work was awarded last Monday. 

Moreover, the Regional Secretary stressed that there is a “fundamental” intervention under way in the area of culture with the construction of the Vila do Porto Museum Centre as part of the Santa Maria Museum, thus providing this island with a museum unit of "reference." 

Avelino Meneses also pointed out the Regional Government's investment efforts in this area on the island of Santa Maria, namely the Holy Spirit pavilion that was opened in 2015, an investment of 390 thousand Euros, as well as the ongoing works in the kitchen of the Bento Rodrigues Basic Education and Secondary School and, soon, in the sports hall.