THE COUNTY TREATS KAŠTELI LIKE A STEPMOTHER
Josip Berket's independent list presented part of the program related to the implementation of the Center of Excellence, which would be located in the Gymnasium in Kaštel Novi. The project is aimed at young people and their development in the field of IT technologies, robotics and informatics, with the aim of creating conditions for their stay and prosperity in their own city.
According to the words Goran Samardžić, one of the list holders, the Center of Excellence will be the driving force behind the development of Kaštela:
"We want to enable young people to acquire skills that are crucial for success in the 21st century. Through the center, we will provide them with the opportunity to develop their talents and ideas, stay in Kaštela, thereby creating the foundations for the digital future of our city, which has actually already arrived and is waiting for no one."
In addition to the Center of Excellence, there are plans to establish a Start-up incubator that will provide young people with tools for the development of entrepreneurial ideas and self-employment.
"Through the incubator, in addition to acquiring skills, we will also provide them with practical employment opportunities, as well as cooperation with other entrepreneurs. It is truly worrying that this has not yet been realized," added Samardžić, criticizing the County for, as he says, its poor attitude towards schools in the Kaštela area, which he founded. A large number of schools are facing serious problems, he says, such as working in three shifts and poor infrastructure:
"The county treats our schools like a stepmother. If the city takes over the founding rights, we will immediately begin renovating schools, adapting classrooms, and organizing single-shift classes. We will also work on building new facilities to bring the city's education system into line with the needs of the 21st century."
Josip Berket's Independent List also emphasizes the importance of providing assistance to older citizens, whose problems are often neglected. The program includes projects such as completing the construction of a nursing home and a day care center for retirees. Infrastructure projects should not be neglected, they emphasize, so, in addition to the Center of Excellence, the emphasis is on the construction of public garages at railway stations, the establishment of the Kozjak City Park, and the development of transport infrastructure that would connect Kaštela with Split, such as circular maritime lines.
"The progress of Kaštela is our primary task and that is precisely why we are here, to make the city a better place to live. We have fulfilled ourselves, but we cannot be happy if, in the end, our neighbors are not doing well or if we do not leave our children a better city than the one we found." - concluded the founder of the list, Joseph Berket.
