After the approval of the Court of Auditors, we now have the necessary conditions to start the installation of the fibre optic cable on the islands of Flores and Corvo, thus implementing the Next Generation Networks (NGN) Project which is estimated to cover 12 Azorean municipalities.

These two projects, involving an investment of 20 million Euros - eight million for the installation of optic fibre cables and 12 million for the RNG - provide "a new stimulus to regional economic development linked to high speed optical fibre. The implementation of this project is, thus, a success for the Government of the Azores and, especially, the population from Corvo and Flores," stated the Regional Secretary for Science, Technology and Infrastructures today.

At a press conference, José Contente said that the Regional Government has always considered the optical fibre connection on all the islands as fundamental to ensuring territorial cohesion. With this ring, the Azorean population will have access to the information and knowledge society on equal footing. 

Addressing to journalists, the Regional Secretary recalled that the Regional Government has "pressured" the Government of the Republic and Portugal Telecom to install optical fibre on the Western Group islands. Over the last decade, several meetings have been scheduled with the Governments of the Republic led by PS and PSD and Portugal Telecom, and various have also been exchanged," stated the Regional Secretary.

"Being the result of great efforts" undertaken by the Government of the Azores, the islands of Flores and Corvo were included in the public call for tender for the installation, management, operation and maintenance of high speed electronic communication networks in the Autonomous Region of the Azores.

José Contente also considered that "the statements made by the leader of PSD for wanting to join a project that she, as former Regional Secretary of Finance, made it impracticable by not including the islands of Flores and Corvo in the optical fibre ring project that connected the remaining islands. Once again, Berta Cabral wanted to score a goal but all can see that she is offside. "

Without any bureaucratic or financial constraint, the Regional Secretary expects to start the implementation of the project soon.