The Regional Secretary for the Sea, Science and Technology stressed that the Socio-Educational and Technological Centre of Santo António village, municipality of Ponta Delgada, is "a good example" of the importance that Information and Communication Technology spaces may have to young people who, after school activities, "spend their leisure and study time, having access to information, music, videos, culture in a safe and controlled space."
 
Fausto Brito e Abreu spoke at the opening of the renewal works of the Socio-Educational and Technological Centre in Santo António, an initiative promoted by Norte Crescente Association that had the support of the Government through the PRORURAL programme and the tender for support to the operation of ICT spaces.
 
The Regional Secretary stressed the importance of these areas to ensure free access to computer resources, especially in an insular region such as the Azores.
 
"With these means, geographical distance is not synonymous with isolation and we are in touch with what is going on in the world around us," said the government official.
 
In addition to widespread access of the Azorean society to information and media, Brito e Abreu stated that, for the Government of the Azores, "it is very important to pay attention to some groups with special needs and for whom technology can, indeed, make a significant difference in their quality of life."
 
"Through the Internet, for example, older people may have a more active ageing and combat the isolation that they sometimes feel," the Regional Secretary said, stressing that "citizens with disabilities can have more quality life with new technologies."
 
In this regard, the government official recalled the ongoing tender for financial support to the purchase of computer equipment and software adapted for people with disabilities. Public schools and private social solidarity institutions in the Region working with people with disabilities are eligible applicants.
 
Under the Regional Government's Programme, the acquisition and installation of equipment and infrastructures in ICT are provided in measures intended to achieve specific goals in the area of science and technology. In this regard, the Government has granted an annual support of 450 thousand Euros to support the maintenance of the network of about 60 ICT spaces in the Region.