Transport and Public Works with investment of about 150 million Euros, stresses Ana Cunha
The proposed Plan for 2019 provides for approximately 150 million Euros of investment in the areas under the administration of the Regional Secretariat for Transport and Public Works.
The Regional Secretary spoke at the Legislative Assembly in Horta during the hearings on the proposals for the 2019 Plan and Budget. She informed that this amount is essentially distributed into "Transport, with 88 million Euros, Public Works, with 50 million Euros, Information Technologies, with seven million Euros, and the Regional Cohesion Fund with 3.7 million Euros."
"Besides the usual maintenance of air public passenger transport services and maritime public transport services for passengers and vehicles and public service obligations, ensured by the Region through the Plan, there are some important structural investments to be made through the Regional Port Authorities." In this regard, she highlighted port infrastructures in order to reinforce their safety and operating conditions as well as the redevelopment of Horta Commercial Port.
The Regional Secretary also emphasised other investment to be jointly carried out with SATA Gestão de Aeródromos "in terms of airport infrastructures of regional aerodromes, such as the case of the expansion of Graciosa airport."
Questioned on the amounts to be paid to SATA, the government official stated that "the debt has been recovered annually in a significant manner." Accordingly, the amounts granted under the Plan result from a Public Service Obligations contract and there are still funds for the capital increase of SATA Air Açores, as determined by resolution of the Council of the Government.
Regarding toll-free road costs, Ana Cunha also pointed out that "the amount increases slightly as a result of traffic changes," but added that "we are still well below the amounts that we were supposed to be paying, compared to the initial estimates."