The President of the Government received in Ponta Delgada the members of the new Board of São Miguel Island Council to whom he conveyed the Government's "availability and interest" in maintaining a fruitful collaboration with this body in order to respond to the challenges that this island faces.
 
"I had the opportunity to convey the Regional Government's availability and interest in maintaining a fruitful collaboration with the Island Council, informing it about what we have done, what we are doing and what we plan to do" in the most varied areas, said Vasco Cordeiro.
 
After the meeting, held at Santana Palace, the President of the Government also stated that he also offered the São Miguel Island Council his "best wishes for success" in the work to be carried out. This body will be now chaired by professor Luís Andrade.
 
Speaking to journalists, Vasco Cordeiro also pointed out that the function assigned to the Island Council do not provide for a relation of dependency between this body and the Regional Government, but rather a "relation of collaboration and understanding regarding the challenges" faced by the island of São Miguel.
 
"Some of these challenges go far beyond the Government's scope of action.  This is the case of the Regional Strategy to Combat Poverty and Social Exclusion. Despite being a document prepared by the Government, it has as one of its key principles the involvement of the entire community, including local authorities, to find ways of making this goal a priority in their action," stressed the President of the Government.