Regional Government considers that adherence to "Empreende Jovem" programme is so obvious that contradicts all doubts
The Government has submitted to the Legislative Assembly of the Azores the response to a request made by PSD that raised doubts about the implementation of governmental programmes to stimulate private investment and employment creation, particularly the "Empreende Jovem" (Youth Entrepreneurship) programme.
Stating that these doubts seemed to be strange, the Vice-President of the Government noted that "the adherence to 'Empreende Jovem' programme is so obvious that it can by itself contradict the usual prophets of doom, those who brag about an attitude of cooperation, but whose behaviour unmasks it."
Sérgio Ávila alluded to the 222 applications that have been submitted for the "Empreende Jovem" until April 3. This programme is developed by the Regional Government with the aim of stimulating self-employment.
"Instead of calling into question the intelligence and entrepreneurial spirit of Azoreans youngsters at a time of great difficulties, PSD could have checked for itself the many successful projects that have been implemented on the islands of S. Miguel, Terceira and Pico under this programme," stressed the government official.
Although the projects developed under the "Empreende Jovem" programme have a full implementation period of three years, it is possible to see throughout the Region that "many youngsters have reacted positively to the difficult context, demonstrating a nonconformist attitude and an entrepreneurial spirit that should be praised and not devalued by the doubts raised by PSD."
The more than two hundred applications for "Empreende Jovem" represent an estimated global investment of 38.8 million Euros and the creation of 509 jobs.
For the Vice-President of the Regional Government, "the best of all is that the growing adherence to this programme contradicts all pointless attempts to devalue it. In fact, the number of projects submitted in 2012 doubled and
nearly forty applications have been submitted in first quarter of this year."
Recalling that "Empreende Jovem" is a unique programme nationwide, Sérgio Ávila stressed that "PSD is not willing to acknowledge this fact as it prefers to underestimate the entrepreneurial spirit of our youngsters."
"With their positive attitude and growing adherence to 'Empreende Jovem', our youngsters are saying that they will actively collaborate in the fight against the difficulties resulting from the austerity measures imposed by the National Government and that the Azores may count on them; however, this attitude has not been valued, praised or respected by PSD," stressed the Vice-President.
Sérgio Ávila regrets that "contrary to its claims, PSD has not abandoned its attempts to bring the Azores down at a time when all political forces are expected to help the Azorean people bringing the Azores up."
For the Vice-President of the Government, "PSD should have paid attention to the examples of positive attitude and confidence in the future demonstrated by young Azorean entrepreneurs to realise that it continues on the wrong path, which is detrimental to the Azores and the Azorean people."