The Secretary-General of the JPP stated this Monday that “every day the people of Madeira and Porto Santo feel the heavy burden of a PSD/CDS government that has ceased to care about Nadeirans, working people, families and young people.”
Élvio Sousa explained that “this burden is due to the fact that Madeira has the highest inflation in the country (almost double that recorded in the Azores), the lowest average wages, exorbitant food prices, high rents and housing costs, coupled with the highest VAT among the outermost regions (at 22%, while in the Azores it is 16%)”. “All this has significantly increased the cost of living, forcing people to constantly worry about their finances and make choices. Measures are needed to reduce taxes and cut spending,” he urged.
In a meeting with the media at the Press Room of the Legislative Assembly of Madeira (ALRAM), the leader argued that “private investment is essential to create wealth, jobs and boost the economy.” “But the Region can, especially in this adverse phase, correct its trajectory and intervene to regulate and lower the cost of living,” he stated. “Therefore, it must lower taxes, particularly VAT, which will have a downward impact on the price of gas, electricity and fuels.”
JPP’s recipe for reaching families, workers, young people and small businesses is to lower taxes and reduce spending. “JPP will present another proposal next time to lower the cost of living in the Region, as we will continue to advocate for lowering and regulating the price of gas (currently costing almost €10 more than in the Azores), creating conditions for the opening of new supermarket chains, such as LIDL (stalled by the Funchal council), and establishing a ferry connection for cargo and passengers to foster business, diversify the economy and bring more competition,” he stressed.
The leader of the JPP challenged the PSD and CDS to set an example of humility and thrift: “A reduction in VAT has an immediate impact on the cost of living for families and businesses, but it is necessary to cut back on luxuries. And it is shameful, and unacceptable now that the food basket has risen by €73, that the PSD/CDS government is going to spend more than half a million euros on a dinner and wine tasting in June in the USA. To squander half a million euros on a five-hour dinner, at around €1,400 per person, when last year they spent around €50,000, at a time of great hardship for most Madeirans and Porto Santo residents, is a disgrace.”