“Socialists playing with Portuguese families’ unemployment”

Social democrats accuse Jovita Ladeira – the current regional delegate for the IEFP (employment and training institute) – of recently presenting a “plan for the creation of around 1900 jobs” in Vila Real de Santo António, where she’s also a PS (Socialist) councillor.

The borough, as you may or may not be aware, is run by Luís Gomes, district chief of the rival PSD social democrat party.

The press release says that the case “is even more serious”, because the plan was made “using IEFP computer data/ IT expertise”…

The PSD/ Algarve say the issue shows the “irresponsible attitude of a senior civil servant” who has confused “her roles” and “taken unfair advantage of administrative channels” at her disposal.

But what’s the problem? If one thinks about it, almost all the country’s public institutions have people running them who are affiliated to a party that at one time or other occupies power. And isn’t this the sort of thing that happens everytime there are elections? For sure, there are people out there making plans for what lies ahead.

But perhaps it’s opportune to reflect on the consequences of our brand of “democracy”. At a time when unemployment in the Algarve is rounding out at 14.8 per cent; at a time when the country is seen by the international community as a bankrupt state – bankrupt and discredited; when humiliation knows no bounds (for example, the «Financial Times» has suggested that Portugal should be annexed to Brazil!), wouldn’t it be the perfect occasion for leading parties to change their attitudes – and start proposing REAL plans to pull the country from the abyss into which it sinks deeper by the day?

It’s time to call time on party-political bickering…