The President of the Regional Government assured on Thursday afternoon that “we have all the reasons to believe that the path we are following in the Azores is a path towards economic recovery and progress, which should be based on trust, on hope, on our entrepreneurial spirit and on our best skills.”
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the improvements of the Caloura fishing port on S. Miguel Island, Carlos César added that the entrepreneurial spirit which is highlighted by the investments in the public sector – as well as the Governmental stimulus to private initiative – is a powerful sign which demonstrates that “we do not stop, we are moving forward.”
Hence, with this belief, the President of the Government addressed encouraging words to the fishermen, of whom 130 will have from now on better working conditions in Caloura, with two new quays with a total of 90 metres, a manoeuvring basin with better navigation conditions, a slipway, an improved fishing boat parking area and new houses for fishing gear.
For Carlos César, the Government does not regard Azores development model as being dissociated from the Regional productive capacity as well as the capacity to create wealth and to boost the export sector, which leads to the conclusion that the fishing sector has a “dynamic present and a promising future.”
Nonetheless, the President pointed out the need for a fish processing industry based in the Region, which produces good quality products, diversifying its production, so that it may be dynamically included in the export sector.
Furthermore, Carlos César added that “we need to release both this processing industry and our fishers from the vicious trade networks that take all the money from our fishers and our industries, by not leaving in the Azores the money which could have stayed here and which is lost amidst this circuit. Subsequently, neither consumers nor producers benefit from this situation.
Reinforcing the role played by Lotaçor and other trustful intermediate associations as a means for a more profitable trade for our fishers, thus bringing more money to the Azores, Carlos César said that the Government will support fisheries professionals.
This Governmental support to fisheries has been achieved over the last decade, with medium and large interventions in 47 fishing ports.