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Co.P.A.I:
A Committee at the service of the Ragusan community.
The Co.P.A.I - Consorzio Promozione Area Iblea (Iblean Area Development
Committee) - a mixed association of public and private firms, was
founded in 1991, and is responsible for the planning, implementation
and management of the PIC (Programma di Iniziativa Comunitaria)
Leader I, Program of Community Enterprise. The main aim of the project
is that of supporting disadvantaged rural areas, through activities
which favor local development.
Organizational problems characterized the first period of the PIC
Leader I, which were overcome when a change at the head of the committee
made Prof. Corrado Monaca, at that time a representative of the
Province of Ragusa, President of the Board of Directors. His administrative
experience, together with his knowledge of the local social and
political context, allowed him to implement a practical operational
strategy which soon yielded good results, and gave credibility to
the committee's support for the Ragusan area. The office of President
of the Board of Directors is currently filled by Dott. Giovanni
Frasca, formerly Mayor of Modica, those of Managing Director and
Director of the Plan of rural development are held by Prof. Corrado
Monaca; those of Administration and Financial Manager by Dott. Rosaria
Suizzo.
Co.P.A.I's capital amounts to LIT68,000,000 held in proportion by
public bodies (Regional Province of Ragusa and Municipality of Pozzallo)
at 15,4%; by non-profit associations (Legambiente Ragusa) at 0,73%;
by private companies working in the agricultural, manufacturing
and commercial fields at 81,67%, and by professional offices at
2,20%.
ACTIVITIES
- Leader I
The Leader I plan has already been carried out by Co.P.A.I through
the funding of four kinds of activities:
- Building works
- Promotional activities and professional training
- Analysis and Research
- GAL activity (Group of Local Action)
The directors of PIC Leader have above all given weight to the "non-financial"
aspect of the plans' initiatives. The initiatives have been aimed
mainly at matters of collective interest, and have only indirectly
produced economic benefits to private firms.
The carrying out of so-called 'physical' work - the renovation of
rural structures (like the Eremo della Giubiliana, Il Gelso, Il
Carrubbo and Villa Teresa), the restoration of paths and tourist
signs - has had remarkable results for the area. Intermediate beneficiaries
were the companies carrying out the work; the final beneficiary
was the entire community which will enjoy new services financed
by the E.E.C. and by the State, with private co-partnerships.
Activities concerning professional training have aimed at the twofold
goal of job creation and establishing the basis for new professional
skills to be employed in the area.
Advertisements have principally focused on publicizing the aims
and activities of the Committee on the one hand; and on the other
the promotion of the agri-tourism centres in the Iblean area.
As far as "Analysis and Research" is concerned, C.O.P.A.I.
has carried out studies to achieve an in-depth knowledge of the
area and its social-economic features, topographic surveys of the
area to help with the management of the resources of tourism, and
marketing analysis in the fields of agri-tourism and the industries
of agriculture and food.
ACTIVITIES
- Leader II
On ________ Co.P.A.I approved the Leader II.
Areas
concerned:
Areas within the municipalities of:
- Acate
- Chiramonte Gulfi
- Giarratana
- Ispica
- Modica
- Monterosso Almo
- Pozzallo
The
comunes of Ispica and Pozzallo, although their territory is excluded
from the Leader II EEC plan, were included for strategic operations
only, which concern the already-mentioned areas (among these "Cava
d'Ispica" and "Diversification and seasonal adjustment
of the local tourist facilities").
Objectives:
1) To form, in the social fabric, certain professional figures who
will be, in future, reference points for economic agents requiring
innovation and development, and will act, at the same time, as promoters
of local economic growth (sub-measure b);
2) To carry out certain fundamental initiatives to enhance the realization
of the cultural and touristic potential of the area (sub-measure
c, sub-measure f);
3) To promote the innovative transformation of local agricultural
products (sub-measure d);
4) To put in place the means to obtain easy access to cultural and
scientific information about the area (sub-measure a, sub-measure
d);
5) To exploit the natural resources of the territory, improving
the existing businesses (sub-measures c and f);
6) To qualify the immaterial factors of development by creating
appropriate structures (sub-measure 2);
7) To create centers in the zones for the promotion of local handicraft
products (sub-measure f);
8) To improve specific local services (sub-measure a);
9) To enhance the image of local identity by means of adequate instruments
of promotion (sub-measure e) ;
10) To develop relationships with local, national and European groups
for exchanging experiences and devising plans of cooperation (c
misure).
Public
announcements for bids already assigned:
- Innovation of products and process in the field of agriculture
and food transformation (LIT 500,000,000).
- Marketing
- Trade events in Italy and abroad (LIT 395,000,000);
- Development of rural tourist facilities, quality of services,
increase of receptive capacity in the Iblean area (LIT 400,000,000);
- Marketing, information and trade totems (LIT 201,000,000);
- Cava d'Ispica research center (LIT 300,000,000)
- Marketing, local market promotion (LIT 195,000,000);
- Diversification and seasonal adjustment of tourist facilities
(LIT 200,000,000);
- Marketing, e-commerce (LIT 180,000,000).
Forth-coming
announcements for bids:
- Technical assistance in productive activities, operator in the
PMI sector (LIT 110,000,000);
- Technical assistance at the production activities, agricultural
operators (LIT 110,000,000).
Future
enterprises:
- "Sfilato" museum (LIT 280,000,000);
- Outdoor museum (LIT 200,000,000);
- Hotel city (LIT 280,000,000);
- Multimedia center (LIT 210,000,000);
- Cava Ispica mill (LIT 134,000,000);
- Cava Ispica path (LIT 100,000,000);
- Development agency (LIT 250,000,000);
- Great Iblean footpath (LIT 300,000,000).
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