The elections in Brolo are now upon us, and before the electoral silence arrives, we have decided to interview the mayoral candidate Maria Vittoria Cipriano for the list “for the Territory”, which has chosen to challenge the outgoing mayor Giuseppe Laccoto, and offer a new political vision for the country, which marks a breaking point with respect to the legislature that is about to end.
In these elections his list finds itself challenging the outgoing mayor, who is currently considered the favourite. What are the political points in which he believes that the “for the Territory” list differs from that of the mayoral candidate Laccoto?
The role of Mayor and that of regional deputy create confusion and contradictions, the country has advantages but also many disadvantages. If we observe Brolo is a construction site without a soul, without a choral line that brings together the works, the squares themselves have no identity. I can say that Brolo’s vision and projection into the future and into the territory was lacking. The difference is that our program can give hope by designing new perspectives, new scenarios, a modern, ethical and aesthetic country.
In such small towns as Brolo, where it is not so wrong to say that “everyone knows everyone”, social inclusion has a fundamental value. What initiatives can politics carry forward in the coming months and years to make Brolo a more inclusive country and even more attentive to social integration paths, especially those dedicated to the most disadvantaged segments of the population?
Social inclusion does not mean simple welfare. We think of a country with intense human relations where rights do not become favors, where there is cooperation and solidarity between everyone. A country that we pay attention to is that of the new poor, it is that of solidarity volunteering, of associations. The area of hardship, not only economic, but also psycho-physical and health, is a priority for us.
One of the points of his electoral program concerns the ambition of having Brolo obtain a “blue flag” which certifies the beauty of our sea and our beaches. But what does Brolo really need, in concrete terms, to achieve this goal?
A serious tourism policy, respect for the environment, protection of the beaches and the territory. Brolo wants more. We are ready to give it to them by working together to raise a social conscience, starting with students and schools. After focusing on the blue flag as an objective, Laccoto highlighted that it was part of his program, but little has been done in recent years: poor services and too many gaps in terms of hygiene and safety. The blue flag is demanding and requires facts and deeds. The very story of slides for the disabled is not a great achievement.
The price increases and the economic crisis of recent years make life increasingly difficult for traders in Brolo. What measures can politics implement today to support the local economy in the coming years?
We have had various meetings and operational discussions with traders. Among the recipes is the role of the Alberghiero as an aggregating element, the relaunch of Brolo commercially also towards the hinterland towns, an advertising plan and marketing actions all year round, with a series of micro-events that regenerate the image of the town. The historic center, not seen only as a food or hospitality area, but pulsating with activity, commercial and leisure, of artisan shops. A popular historic centre, without speculation, recovered and regenerated. Here, a historic center to experience, all together.
One thing that struck me, listening to the rallies on his list, “For the Territory”, and those on the challenging list “Let’s write the future with Pippo Laccoto”, is how important the theme of the urban redevelopment of the country’s public spaces has become and of the historical identity of Brolo. Why has this issue become so central to Brolo politics in recent years?
The territory, in terms of inhabited and built areas, has suffered too many incursions, volumetric overbuilding, if excessive, damages history and also economically precludes another type of future. They want urban redevelopment that preserves memories and gives new opportunities. We don’t want building speculation. Preserving historical memories, even if only superficially, would already be a step forward. In the protected areas, those close to the coast for example, maximum protection and protection is needed. We have to make a master plan that must be respectful of the territory and not based on wild and indefinite construction. Coastal illegal construction is also a serious problem, which must be resolved with appropriate legal and administrative solutions, also by protecting people’s rights. We need a culture that combines legality, environment and development.
