The assertion by Miguel de Sousa, a businessman linked to golf, that Santo da Serra is "perhaps not even a place to live" has provoked a strong reaction from Sílvia Sousa Silva, a PS deputy in the Legislative Assembly of Madeira. The deputy denounced a devaluation of the parish's residents in the debate over public investment in golf, which took place during a "Parliament in the Community" session in Santa Cruz.
Sílvia Sousa Silva questioned the Regional Government's priorities in allocating public funds, using the Santo da Serra golf course as an example. According to 2021 Census data, the parish has lost about 12% of its population in two decades and shows a demographic imbalance with 270 elderly individuals for every 100 young people. These indicators, for the deputy, demonstrate that the wealth associated with golf has not translated into visible benefits for the local community.
Miguel de Sousa, in response, rejected the criticism, deeming it unfair to attribute depopulation problems to golf and calling the course's location "a stupidity" as, in his opinion, it does not serve to support local families. The controversy arises within a broader debate on golf's role in Madeira's economy, with the Regional Government maintaining golf as part of its tourism strategy and announcing plans to expand the Santo da Serra course using European funds.
