Portugal’s seven deadly sins
After 48 years of democracy and 36 years of receiving Community funds from the European Union, we are increasingly poor and at the tail end of Europe. It’s a fact. Added to this is a clear slowdown in economic growth, with the impoverishment of the population, fueled in part by rising prices, particularly in food and energy, and by rising interest rates on subsidies, with a more penalizing effect on those who have resorted to to housing credit.
It is, therefore, important that the Portuguese understand why Portugal continues to be unable to act as it should, as a sovereign State, to help its citizens.
To help with this reflection, list the seven deadly sins that plague the country, but also alert to the need to act, to do more, to do differently, to do better.
These seven sins are: the low rate of economic growth; the little difference; the absence of included reforms; the excessive aging of the population (without adequate policies to increase the birth rate); too much bureaucracy; lack of long-suffering government agreements that go beyond parties and beyond political electoral cycles; high public debt.
Portugal will never change and it will not be a better country for its citizens if we continue to produce little, in so many hours of work, and level everyone by the same gauge. The rush to overtime, especially in the civil service, is a way to compensate for low income and slow career progression, subverting the logic of this regime, devaluing what should be the rule: meritocracy.
It is therefore urgent to reformulate the entire system of public functioning, with appreciation of civil servants, through attractive careers and prospects, without forgetting to definitely eradicate the hell of bureaucracy, which prevents quick decision-making and is a major obstacle to investment – not just private, as the public sector also suffers from this nefarious power within power.
I also want to focus on the need for justice and taxation that are quick, efficient and stable. We cannot continue with this constant instability, with this permanent governing according to the taste of the customer, because that only undermines confidence in the country and harms investment and investors. The rules of the game must be clear and remain undisturbed for long seasons.
In addition, we must have the ability to formulate government pacts, especially looking at the medium and long term. Without thinking about political or business clientele, but about the future of the country and its citizens, carrying out, for this to happen, major reforms of the system, with economic, social, fiscal advantages, which are truly lasting and make us an ever-changing country. less and less dependent on international conjunctures.