Berta Cabral says Ribeira Grande plays active role in regional economy and is fertile ground for entrepreneurship and employment - Communication

Secretaria Regional do Turismo, Mobilidade e Infraestruturas

The Regional Secretary for Tourism, Mobility and Infrastructures defended that Ribeira Grande "plays an active role in boosting the regional economy and is a fertile ground for entrepreneurship and the creation of skilled jobs." 

Berta Cabral spoke on behalf of the President of the Regional Government at the formal session held Monday night to commemorate the 44th anniversary of the elevation of Ribeira Grande to city status.

Highlighting "the ability to link the primary and secondary sectors with the new challenges of energy transition, the green economy and digital transformation as the right path to strengthen the competitiveness of the local economy," she continued: "Tourism, in turn, as a structuring axis of regional development, is undergoing rapid development and has enormous potential, combining identity with authenticity and entrepreneurship with innovation."

The government official emphasised that, in addition to being the surfing capital of the Azores, Ribeira Grande should be proud of its tea production, landscapes, hiking trails, beaches, thermal spas and its signature festivals. According to her, "they guarantee, with quality and strategy, the promotion of natural and cultural heritage as well as the projection of religious, social and industrial museum resources of reference."

She continued: "This city is home to one of the most emblematic regional public facilities for the promotion of contemporary art, Arquipélago. It is also here that we go back in time every year and honour the city with the “Cantar às Estrelas” (Singing to the Stars), the “Cavalhadas de São Pedro” (St. Peter's Cavalcades) and the “Feira Quinhentista” (Renaissance Fair), making Ribeira Grande a lively and vibrant city."

"It is with this vision for the future that the Regional Government chooses and defends in its public policies for Ribeira Grande, as well as for all other municipalities in the Region, territorial and social cohesion as pillars of the archipelago's development model," she said.  

Mentioning the Regional Government's investment in the municipality of Ribeira Grande, Berta Cabral highlighted the "innovative project" for the “seafront” (ARAAL contract). It will promote the urban redevelopment of Ribeira Grande and the creation of new streets, "contributing to the protection of the coastline and a new interaction with the sea for the city and its residents."

The government official also pointed out "the urgent and technically complex intervention carried out by the government department under her supervision on the coastline of the parish of Calhetas aimed at stabilising the cliff. This is an investment in the safety of the resident population and the parish's heritage, which will soon be followed by the second phase of the intervention."

She emphasised: "This is an area that had never undergone any improvement in the past, despite constant demands from the population, who had been calling for a solution to the problem for over 20 years."

"These three examples have been priorities for the Regional Government from the outset, with a continuous focus on actions and infrastructures that promote the well-being, safety and sustainable mobility of the population of Ribeira Grande," she said.

Berta Cabral also expressed her gratitude to all the parish mayors present and those being honoured. She highlighted that all of them, "being well acquainted with the realities on the ground, can respond quickly, fairly and effectively to the needs of the population, and closely monitor families, knowing every street, every school, every community, and every aspiration in their territory."

“Ribeira Grande will continue to be a regional example of civic participation, social innovation, living culture, a people-oriented economy, and authenticity in tourism,” she concluded.