Maritime minister Ana Paula Vitorino had «her little eyes shining» at the start of her two-day visit to the Algarve, which began yesterday afternoon at the University of Algarve. The minister liked the work being done at the Algarve academy in her area of responsibility and, at a stage when she is preparing the «Atlantic Observatory» project, she was challenged by the rector António Branco to host it in the Algarve.
The minister heard the rector's challenge, did not respond immediately, so the Sul Informação I wanted to know if it was even a possibility, that this project at a national level – and not only – would be based in the region. Speaking to our newspaper, Ana Paula Vitorino did not commit.
“I wouldn't say this is an important issue. The idea is to have a network operation, to have projects that are being developed by scientists from the Algarve, but also scientists from the Azores, Porto and, who knows, Norway».
However, the role of the University of the Algarve in this project is highlighted by the minister, who considers that «the important thing here is that scientists in the Algarve know how to impose leadership» and that «entrepreneurs, citizens, industrial entrepreneurs can understand that, at the University of Algarve, research is carried out better than in any other part of the world and that there are excellent partners here for new profitable economic activities. My eyes were shining, because we have excellent opportunities and we have to put these scientists in contact with entrepreneurs who can invest. That's what we have to do: more than location, dialogue is important», he said.
Algarve is an example for the rest of the country
In the economy of the Sea, the Algarve is an example for minister Ana Paula Vitorino. «We have here a cluster from the sea, which needs to be publicized, in order to boost economic growth in the region, but also in the country. We have people here who are researchers and entrepreneurs and that is fantastic! We must promote these examples not only to attract new investments, but also to replicate in other parts of the country”.
For the official, “we have to be more ambitious, we cannot accept that the economy of the sea, which has so much potential, represents such a small percentage of GDP. 2,5% is nothing. What these investigators said today I would not say better, is what has been said here that is in the Government's program».
And what did CCMAR, CIMA and CRIA investigators say? In addition to showing their work, in the different departments, they asked for new ways to finance their work.
The minister gave them good news: “yesterday I signed the ordinances that approve the regulations of MAR2020. We divided into two packages, one this month, the other at the end of April, so that the first applications take place in the first semester, it has to be. The program was late and it was one of the priorities».
In addition, the minister says that she is creating another instrument, the Fundo Azul, which “will start to be small, but it will grow. The idea is that the economic activity generated by the sea finances it. All State bodies, linked to the sea, will finance it, for example through part of the captaincy fees», he revealed.
Simplex for the sea, competences in port areas under discussion at AMAL
After the visit to the University of the Algarve, after 18 pm, Ana Paula Vitorino met with the mayors, at the headquarters of the Intermunicipal Community of Algarve (AMAL), in Faro. The meeting was long and ended around dinnertime.
Jorge Botelho, president of AMAL, revealed to the Sul Informação that the meeting "went well" and that "issues and conflicts of jurisdiction were identified in the port areas, which have multiple tutelages, the Simplex for the sea was debated and a survey of the region's needs in terms of ports, marinas was carried out, or the little ports'.
The mayor of Tavira explained that the meeting took place at AMAL, with all the municipalities, to have a "representation as a regional entity".
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