COMMENT
This is what Fareed Zakaria, the CNN commentator that many of us follow, says at the beginning of his program to transmit his opinion.
While I send out many clippings from various sources on the subjects that I believe are of interest to my acquaintances, I rarely express personal views.
However, at a time that it appears that we are at a crucial and dangerous crossroads, I would like to tell succinctly what I think about these matters.
Pandemic
I don’t believe that China deliberately spread the virus on the world. What I think is that the Chinese government did not understand that it had to forbid the consumption of all kinds of exotic animals by a population that had lost natural immunity through the consumption of the modern diet of hamburgers, sushi and pizzas.
Believing initially that this could be controlled discreetly, the Chinese government withheld the necessary information until being forced into openly combating the virus and forbid the consumption of the said fauna.
It is difficult to believe that a vaccine not properly tested will miraculously stop the spread of the disease. The illusion of this idea will only complicate and delay the proper control of the situation.
Most countries of the Eastern world and of the Baltic have managed to stop the spread by the simple expedient of measures that are advised but not properly adopted.
The nations that have had war or bombardments on their soil are used to the sacrifices imposed by extraordinary conditions.
When I entered boarding school in the United States at 14 years of age in 1947, I had a Chinese roommate from Singapore that was 19 years old. The reason for this was that during the Sino-Japanese war schools were closed for 5 years. The economic and social success of these societies show that they recovered well.
Unfortunately, and maybe for the time being, this discipline is the only successful way of dealing with this difficult situation.
Our economic and social situation
Never has it been so mandatory to adopt the Keynesian formula of massive injection into the economy through the support of corporations and the investment in major public works. Instead of supporting lay-offs, the funds should be used to keep corporations in full employment.
In the case of the Algarve, which directly and indirectly depends wholly on tourism and residential foreign investment, the present situation of collapse of employment which affects every segment of the local economy there is a danger of social agitation, even violent actions which, if it happens, will destroy the image of peace and security which is the main argument to attract foreign residents in the present world situation.
The debate about the Golden Visa is no less than absurd. Portugal is not selling nationality but simply residence permits. Any foreigner whether investor or not is eligible for residence for 5 years, renewable.
Therefore, it is ridiculous to forgo a key instrument for the attraction of the much needed foreign investment which generates permanent income and local and national taxes.
It is very interesting to note that Loulé Municipality is so prosperous that it finances an important program of subsidized residences.
The American elections
It is extraordinary that the most important nation in the world, which enjoys the largest economy, has its future at the mercy of the psychologic makeup of a deranged and dishonest narcissist. It is my impression, from a careful observation, that between the votes that Trump loses from suburban residents mainly women and Biden will gain from massive voting from the black population and the young people who abstained in the last election, Biden will probably win the popular vote as well as the Electoral College. If the victory is massive, Trump will be unable to contest the result. If the victory is narrow, the world is in for a rocky ride.
By André Jordan
André Jordan is accredited with being the ‘father’ of Portuguese luxury golf resort tourism in Portugal. The entrepreneur created Quinta do Lago, Belas Clube de Campo and Vilamoura XXI and recently published his memoirs ‘My Life’s Journey’.
