The Lagoa Chamber is going to invest the money it would normally spend on Christmas lighting to directly support the population and local businesses.
In all, "102 thousand euros will be made available to encourage citizens to buy in local businesses and thus stimulate the municipality's economy," according to the Câmara de Lagoa.
This decision by the municipality is closely linked to the “economic and social impact that the measures to combat the Covid-19 contagion have caused on the local economy, as well as on the purchasing power of Lagoon families”.
In this way, the municipality decided to keep the celebrations of the Christmas season, «but with the awareness and responsibility that the current situation imposes, having been taken the decision to redirect the funds for Christmas lighting, which in previous years reached expenses between 50 thousand and 65 thousand euros, for a direct support of 102 thousand euros to the citizens and merchants».
"This amount will be introduced into the local economy through the approximately 1300 unemployed, registered with the IEFP, residing in the municipality of Lagoa, who will receive a voucher at home to make purchases in local businesses and through drawings to be held at the end of January, February, March, April and May. The municipality as a whole will distribute around 52 euros to the unemployed and draw 50 euros to the population, awarding prizes with values between 1500 euros and 20 euros.
The Chamber is “preparing the mechanisms to put this initiative into practice, which will involve the delivery of a coupon for every 10 euros in purchases, at participating establishments, in a total of 10 coupons for each purchase, which will be placed in tombolas and drawn at the end of each month. The winning citizens will receive vouchers, to spend on local businesses».
“With this decision, we are helping those who are unemployed and have seen their income decrease, helping the population in general and, above all, local businesses. The incentive to local commerce will be carried out in two phases. In a first stage in which we encourage the population to buy at participating establishments in the municipality, to be entitled to coupons, and in a second stage where we raffle vouchers so that the population can buy products in the local commerce again», illustrated Luís Encarnação, Mayor of Lagoa .
In addition to this incentive, the municipality of Lagoa «reinforced the Christmas baskets that will be distributed to the various referenced families of the Câmara municipality, contributing with essential foodstuffs so that everyone can spend a dignified holiday in the family».
For Luís Encarnação, these are important measures that had to be taken.
«Given the current situation and the difficulties that many Lagoenses are going through, Christmas lights could not be a priority for the executive. Having very beautiful Christmas lights and having the population and merchants going through difficulties wouldn't make any sense. With this decision, we are once again giving a clear signal that we will not let anyone be left behind”, he said.
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