Today, the Regional Secretary of the Presidency reassured, at the Azorean Parliament, in the city of Horta, the intransigent defence, by the Government of the Azores, of the positions and interests of the Portuguese workers who are at the service of the North American Forces stationed at Lajes Air Base.
André Bradford spoke during the discussion of the Medium-term Guidelines and the Plan and Budget for 2009, in the of external policy, made clear that it is main concern of the Government the stabilisation of the contingent workforce, which has been achieved over the last 12 years.
Refuting the statements made by the Social Democratic Party (PSD) which considers that the reality of this situation is contrary to the one stated by the Government, the Secretary said that statistics indicate that, over the last 12 years, only 70 positions were reduced, the majority by common consent, while 600 positions were reduced in the previous six years (1990-1996), when the Government of the Azores was run by PSD.
The financial compensation due to the use of that Air Base by the North American military, which no longer exists, was another issue addressed by André Braford. The Regional Secretary stated the extinction of that allowance was the result of the negotiations that took place between 1993 and 1995, with the presence of a representative appointed by the Regional Government, of the responsibility of PSD.