The Vice-President of the Government stated on the island of Terceira that people and families are the "single reason" for the choice of the "social and economic policies" pursued by the Region. In this regard, he stressed that the Regional Government defends the value of "generational solidarity," recalling that the existence of 232 support services for the elderly that are used by more than 6,600 senior citizens.
 
"We have followed a very long path over these years," Sérgio Ávila stressed, recalling that there are currently 232 support services for the elderly in the Azores that are used by more than 6,600 elderly citizens. In 2000, these responses "only covered 36 services and 1,613 seniors."
 
Sérgio Ávila spoke at the opening of Cinco Ribeiras Day and Night Centre in the municipality of Angra do Heroísmo. The government official considered that the "actual value" of the work opened today and other similar works, "going beyond what is measured in the amount of investment," lies in the population that it will serve." In this regard, he highlighted the value of generational solidarity" as well as the importance "of an ever increasing quality of life for the populations of all parishes."
 
"We do not give up this value," the government official said, ensuring that "the value of people is a guiding value" for the Government's actions and "the sole reason" for the choice of social and economic policies pursued by the Region.
 
"Therefore, we are celebrating today the value of generational solidarity and better quality of life for the populations of all villages," said Sérgio Ávila.
 
In particularly, he stressed "elderly and young Azoreans as well as all people and families who are in a disadvantaged or fragile situation," defending a "development strategy that leaves no one behind on all islands and in every municipality and village, especially when they need the most."
 
"We have recently managed to require to the National Government the increase of social support and a positive discrimination for the island of Terceira in view of the impact of the U.S. military development in Lajes," stressed Sérgio Ávila. He also added that this special scheme, now implemented, will increase social benefits and facilitate the access to them. This measure will be already in force in this month's income.
 
"But throughout the Region, even at the height of the impact of the national austerity and financial crisis, we have never given up social policies and the investment in people and families," said the Vice-President.
 
In this context, he recalled that, "when the rest of the country cut back on social support, the Azores, on their own and without any social solidarity, despite not having contributed to the national situation, have maintained and increase this support, namely to the elderly and children."
 
In his speech, the Vice-President stressed that it was a choice, highlighting that the Region has never neglected "public investment and the support to social support infrastructures."
 
"Now that the crisis has been overcome, it is a choice that we want to reinforce," Sérgio Ávila ensured, defending that we cannot build a society "without support to the different generations of each village insofar as it ensures quality of life and provides an opportunity for people to settle there."
 
The government official paid public tribute and recognition to elder citizens for "their legacy and life effort." According to him, the "spirit of solidarity bequeathed by the generations that preceded us" and that define "the essence of the Azorean People, namely courage, hard work, ingenuity, community service and mutual help" was also honoured at the ceremony.
 
"With the aim of honouring this spirit, we are here today and, therefore, the merit and gratitude for this work are from all these generations that built the Azores we are today," said the government official. The renewal and expansion represented an investment of more than two million Euros.
 
The Vice-President also assured that the Government of the Azores will continue to contribute with more quality social responses to support the elderly. In the current legislative period, there eight ongoing works taking place on the islands of Corvo, Flores, Graciosa, Pico, Faial, S. Miguel and Terceira" for that purpose.
 
As he added, "it is a global investment of more than 13 million Euros to support home services, Day and Night Centres, Social Centres and those developed in partnership with the social institutions of each island."
 
Between 2013 and 2016, the Government of the Azores supported 17 works, which corresponded to an overall investment of more than 23 million Euros.
 
The Nossa Senhora do Pilar das Cinco Ribeiras Social and Parish Centre is largest public investment made by the Government so far in this village. It intends to improve the provision of services, provide comfortable facilities for the elderly and contribute to the urban recovery of one the most important building of this village.
 
On the island Terceira, the investment in this type of infrastructure exceeded 13 million Euros between 2013 and 2016, covering the villages of Cinco Ribeiras, Posto Santo, Porto Judeu, Altares, S. Sebastião, Doze Ribeiras and the cities of Praia da Vitória and Angra do Heroísmo.