Luís Graça, president of the PS/Algarve and deputy to the Assembly of the Republic, proposes that the Government present a calendar for the construction of the Central Hospital.
Speaking at the closing session of the 17th PS/Algarve Federative Congress, which took place on Saturday, March 24, Luís Graça called for progress "quickly with the review of the process abandoned by the PSD/CDS Government in 2011".
The proposal involves «presenting a timetable for the construction of the Hospital Central do Algarve, continuing the restructuring of the health sector in the region, which has already gone through the creation of the University Hospital Center of the Algarve (CHUA), integrating the Center for Physical Medicine and of Rehabilitation of the South, and for the reinforcement of the connection with the research centers of the University of the Algarve, with the dynamization of the Algarve Biomedical Center (ABC)».
«I am aware that we will not have the Central Hospital ready tomorrow, but we must start working now and we challenge the Government to present a timetable for this until the end of this year», stressed Luís Graça.
The socialist deputy also proposed "the creation of two "health parks", Barlavento and Sotavento, based on the expansion of current health centers guaranteeing 24-hour care, complementary diagnostics and hospitalization, demonstrating the availability of the municipalities Algarve and Private Social Solidarity Institutions (IPSS) to collaborate financially and technically with the Government in this regard».
The president of the PS/Algarve also alerted the Government to the need to "advance with the conclusion of the requalification process of the EN125, between Olhão and Vila Real de Santo António".
It was also mentioned by the parliamentarian that he will not give up on “fighting for the reduction of tolls on the A22 – Via do Infante until the end of the current legislature, recalling the study requested by the PS to members of the Algarve academy in 2015, where it was argued that we could reduce the tolls on Via do Infante by 30% and, in some cases, up to 50%, without the central state or the concessionaire losing money as a result».
Showing himself against the exploration of gas and oil in the region, the president of PS/Algarve also addressed the issue of water and energy in his speech, defending the construction of the Alportel dam and appealing to Águas do Algarve to liaise with municipalities to design a model that ensures self-sufficiency in water supply to populations and agriculture.
In fact, it was based on the performance and example of this company that Luís Graça defended the valorization of renewable energies in the region, challenging the present mayors to create a regional power center for energy management in the Algarve, as well as to review the Municipal Master Plans for concrete measures to build affordable housing for families and young people.
Regarding the governance model, Luís Graça reaffirmed that the PS Algarve «is in favor of the creation of the administrative region of the Algarve», stressing that «we must take hold of the processes of decentralization of competences to the municipalities and of democratization of the Coordination and Regional Development Commissions (CCDR), in line with the Government's proposals for these to be like the postal code halfway to regionalization».
To support the PS/Algarve's participation, Luís Graça announced that he asked Adriano Pimpão, former rector of the University of Algarve and former secretary of State for Regional Development, to prepare a concrete proposal of competences for the CCDR as a proposal of the PS/Algarve to be negotiated with the Government in the scope of the democratization of this organ.
At the same time, he announced to congressmen that former minister João Cravinho had agreed to coordinate the strategic reflection office, because the credibility of political intervention involves "studying and substantiating the proposals", in a thoughtful and responsible manner, since "the PS is not a protest party is not enough to make demands to solve the region's problems».
In addition to the debate and approval of the global strategy motion “Algarve Mais Forte”, presented by Luís Graça, the Congress debated another seventeen sectorial motions and elected the Federation bodies for the 2018/2020 biennium, before being closed by José Apolinário, in representation of the secretary general of the Socialist Party.
In a journey marked by the presence of the Government in the Algarve, where the Prime Minister and the Minister of Agriculture started the national campaign to clean up the forest, António Costa would send a video message to the participants, in the context of a tribute to the doctor and poet Santos Serra, his personal doctor for many years and founder of the Socialist Party in Albufeira, where he was elected president of the Municipal Assembly.
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