The President of the Government announced today that the Government will launch 11 new investments in the area of Childhood by the end of this term, representing a total investment of approximately 14 million Euros on several islands that will strengthen the territorial cohesion of the entire Region.
 
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Daycare and Free Time Occupation Centre of "Santa Casa da Misericórdia" of São Roque do Pico, Vasco Cordeiro added that these investments will serve nearly 800 children on the islands of São Miguel, Terceira, Faial and Corvo.
 
"The importance of this type of investment is not limited to the population it serves as it also embodies the importance of regional cohesion, which is to say that we have created the condition on each island so that families may fulfil themselves from a personal and professional standpoint," said the President of the Government.
 
With capacity for 40 children in day care and 60 children for free time occupation centre, the new facility represented a public global investment of nearly two million Euros, including the construction and respective equipment.
 
According to him, it is a strategic investment for the future of the island of Pico and the Region, similarly to what has been done on several islands and in various areas, such as the support to the elderly and people with special needs.
 
"We have followed a path that makes us proud, as a People and as a region, which has to do with the creation of conditions so that may we have this type of infrastructure on all islands," said the President of the Government.
 
According to Vasco Cordeiro, this social policy also embodies the importance of social cohesion, which is evidenced in measures such as discounts for families with two or more children attending daycare centres and kindergartens or at the care of nannies or in the Regional Family Allowance Complement. The latter registered this year an increase of about 15 percent and covers 35,000 children and young people in the region.
 
In his speech, the President of the Government stressed that this investment would not have been implemented without the partnership of "Santa Casa da Misericórdia" of São Roque do Pico, similarly to what happens throughout the Region.
 
"On the Government's part, we may create these measures and support these investments. However, if we do not have entities committed to collaborating and fulfilling this function, all of this would be useful," said Vasco Cordeiro. The President of the Government also addressed a word of public recognition for the work carried out by the employees of private social solidarity institutions in the Azores.