The President of the Government stated today that the COVID-19 pandemic “renewed the awareness for the importance” of public services at various levels, defending a reflection on the extension of partnerships with private entities to new areas of intervention.
 
“As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, at the most varied levels, we saw what can be called a renewed awareness for the importance of the State and the importance of public services,” said Vasco Cordeiro, who spoke at the opening of the first phase of Feteira Intergenerational Centre on Faial Island.
 
According to the President of the Government, in more challenging situations, whether in the economy, health or  the social area, there is a “request for the intervention of public authorities and that is what also happened during this pandemic.”
 
“We cannot ignore that, in many circumstances, public services, namely in the area of social support, are promoters and guarantors of equality. In fact, public services are the ones that often promote the fight against social inequalities insofar as they ensure the access of all citizens to the services they provide," said the President of the Government.
 
According to Vasco Cordeiro, the debate that now exists and should continue to exist must not only focus on the existence of essential public services in Education and Health, but also on the extent to which these essential services should be extended to other areas.
 
"This is a good reflection for us to have at this moment, which should be enriched with our experience, particularly in terms of the guidelines we must adopt in this path and the partnerships we must further strengthen," noted  the President of the Government.
 
“These partnerships must be fostered in the future in order to ensure that, even in areas where they do not currently exist, either in terms of entities or services, we can extend and guarantee Azoreans citizens a certain type of support,” said Vasco Cordeiro.
 
At the opening of the first phase of Feteira Intergenerational Centre, an investment of about 400 thousand Euros, Vasco Cordeiro announced that the public tender for the second phase of this work was published today in an Official Journal, representing an investment of more than one million Euros. It will include the construction of a new building for socio-educational, recreational and cultural purposes, namely, the Free Time Activity Centre, with capacity for 20 young people, and the Social Centre for the Elderly, with capacity 30 elderly people.
 
“This investment of more than 400 thousand euros in the first phase falls within the strategy developed by the Government to expand and qualify the network of social infrastructures and services throughout the Region. This goal is being achieved not only through the implementation of more responses, but also through the provision of social services with a differentiated, innovative and integrated response," said the President of the Government.
 
Likewise, the Vila Franca do Campo Intergenerational Centre - Ponta Garça with capacity for 92 users in daycare centre and Free Time Activity Centre was opened in February. In turn, the Arrifes Intergenerational Centre will open next month, a building built from scratch, with capacity for 90 users in Day Centre, Night Centre and Free Time Activity Centre, corresponding to an investment of more than 2.6 million Euros.
 
According to Vasco Cordeiro, the investments made on the island of Faial in the area of childhood and youth in recent years amount to around four million Euros. They include, for example, the construction of the Daycare Centre of the Divino Espírito Santo dos Flamengos Community Centre, with capacity for 84 children, an investment of almost 1.5 million Euros.
 
Regarding the investments made in infrastructures for the elderly, the President of the Government highlighted the construction of the Day Centre and Social Centre in Flamengos, with a capacity for 50 users, an investment of 1.1 million Euros.
 
As for the Family and Community area, and in addition to the Feteira Intergenerational Centre, the Government will build the Temporary Shelter Centre of Santa Casa da Misericórdia of Horta, a project scheduled for this year. The procedure will be launched this month and will create another 12 shelter,representing a global investment of 335 thousand Euros.
 
There are also plans to expand the Day Centre of  APADIF - Association of Parents and Friends of Disabled People of Faial, an investment of 500 thousand Euros, with the launch of the procedure scheduled for July.