São Jorge Island Council calls for priorities in the Azores Plan

O São Jorge Island Council did not deliver an opinion on the preliminary proposal for the Government of the Azores Investment Plan for 2027, but asked the coalition executive PSD/CDS-PP/PPM for a “clear definition” of priorities.

According to the President of the Ilha Council, Lena Amaral, the advisers met and prepared a document in which they asked the Azorean executive to strengthen the planned funds, because they considered that the budget appropriations “are insufficient”.

In the letter sent to the Regional Government with contributions to the preliminary proposal of the Annual Regional Plan for 2027, that body considers that “the existing financial constraints make a clear definition of priorities and an appropriate distribution of available resources even more important, taking into account the territorial, demographic and economic specificities of São Jorge”.

The document presents a number of investment concerns and priorities considered essential for the island and the population.

“ We understand the financial constraints that currently condition public investment capacity and recognize the need for careful management of available resources. However, it should also be borne in mind that São Jorge continues to meet significant needs in different areas, in the face of appropriations which, in several areas, are insufficient to meet the existing needs and to fulfil the commitments made”, he says.

Accessibility, it is added, constitutes “a permanent and imminent need”, with a direct impact on residents’ mobility, access to health care and other essential services, economic activity, tourism and the establishment of the population.

“Insularity and the absence of transport alternatives make the island particularly vulnerable to constraints on connections, aggravating the difficulties experienced by families, companies and institutions”, it is justified.

To this reality “in addition to investment needs in health infrastructure, housing, support for agriculture, conservation and rehabilitation of agricultural paths, social response, protection of natural resources and sports development”.

According to the Council of Ilha, the lack of funds in these areas “conditions the ability to respond, prolongs situations that have long been identified and limits the implementation of projects relevant to the balanced development” of São Jorge.

The body chaired by Lena Amaral also considers that the financial limitations “make it even more important to define the priorities and to provide adequate distribution of available resources”, taking into account local territorial, demographic and economic specificities.

The advisers identify several interventions and consider it imperative that they have concrete expression in the Plan for 2027, through individual budget lines and financial appropriations appropriate for their implementation.

They say they understand the financial constraints, but they claim that a deficit budget in responding to the needs of the island “can contribute to prolonging problems already identified, delaying necessary interventions and aggravating the difficulties experienced by institutions, families and economic agents”.

“ For this reason, we believe that the answer cannot be limited to the maintenance of generic references or appropriations that, in practice, prove insufficient”, they conclude.

The pre-proposal for the Azores Plan for 2027 provides for an overall investment of EUR 1,057 million, EUR 650 million of the Regional Government’s “direct responsibility”.

The discussion and vote on the Plan and Budget of the Azores for 2027 will take place in November at the Regional Legislative Assembly, in the city of Horta, on the island of Faial.