Milazzo is approaching the vote with great strides in an increasingly exciting competition. There are six candidates for the most prestigious seat in Palazzo dell’Aquila, whom Gazzetta del Sud and Rtp met by asking them questions on three macro-themes.
What strategies for young people and work?
For the outgoing mayor Pippo Midili, a centre-right candidate, it is necessary to «maintain the greatest possible youth resources within the territory. Today we have committed ourselves to a strong employment policy for our children which sees a certain number of them employed in jobs connected to the Marine Protected Area. There has been an increase in employment in the diving and tourist escort sectors, but also in those segments of cultural heritage that were previously absent. These young people, today, have no intention of leaving and have looked with particular interest at all the European projects carried out by the Administration. We have started discussions at school level, because the study courses must accompany the development of the city.”
For her part, Laura Castelli, president of South calls North, specifies that in her electoral program there are several points that talk about young people and their growth. «Summer on us – he specifies – is a model that South calls North has launched in other cities, it is aimed at young people between 18 and 35 years old, with 25 hours a week, 600 euros a month for 4 months, employment in companies. This will allow us to understand their predispositions and allow companies to understand the local workforce. We want to combine this tool with “Milazzo start-up”, a municipal desk dedicated to how to start businesses. The “No-tax area” for young people is also fundamental: for those under 40 who open a business in Milazzo, the taxes are paid by the municipal administration for the first three years. With “Young Milazzo”, we will rekindle the neighborhoods and allow the many young people who today are digital nomads to reactivate, in some structures made available by the Municipality, their working life close to their families. The entertainment district will also restart, and with the establishment of the Zes new activities will open.”
For Giuseppe Falliti, supported by Controcorrente, «young people are experiencing a tragedy and the city is not seeing its potential nurtured. We need to develop tourism and culture, sea and landscape. A youth council has never functioned properly. And it is necessary to start from a census of young people’s interests, of what they ask of the city and what it offers. One of the municipal departments that Controcorrente wants to create is that of Restanza, in fact everything must be done to ensure that the children do not leave or return in the medium-long term”.
Lorenzo Italiano highlights that «the city is experiencing a negative phase. In recent years, 1700 young people have looked for other destinations, but an attentive Administration must create the conditions for them to remain in the area. We will establish a permanent Observatory, with the involvement of social categories, young people and families: listening is essential to find solutions. Incentives are needed to open up new business activities and cutting local taxes would also provide breathing space.”
Carmelo Torre, involved with the civic list Carta Canta, has no doubts: «So far, no real direction has ever been given to tourism. My project was already born during the administration preceding the current one, which instead excluded it from its programming. This project could provide work to many young people who are leaving, also because the city has gone from 33 thousand inhabitants to 30 thousand. It is an anomaly for such a beautiful area, which can lend itself to tourism development. I want to give Milazzo a different direction.”
Michele Vacca, leading a progressive coalition that includes Pd, M5S and Rifondazione Comunista, reiterates that “work occupies the first point” of his program. «You cannot tell young people that the only work model in this city is that dependent on Ram – he adds -. We need to provide new employment prospects, with the green economy, the maritime economy, the ecological transition. When we talk about the circular economy, we should explore the world of waste related activities, valorise the port resource and yachting. Our special plan for the employment of NEETs provides for schools, companies and the Municipality to be put into a system, under the direction of the latter”.
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