Saldanha Sanches, the well known economist and tax expert, continued with his informed and relevant opinions on Thursday night on SIC Noticias.

Irrespective of the real reason for the Finance Minister's resignation, no self-respecting economist can support the government's plans to invest billions in Ota airport and the TGV. His argument is based on profitability. What is the Country's return on those huge investments? Where are the viabilty studies to justify the capital invested.

Even if we discount the capital investment as a short-term contribution to increased employment and to fill the coffers of the powerful construction lobby, will the business activities be able to break even? That argument appears to favour the airport over the TGV.

Unfortunately, time did not allow Saldanha Sanches to develop his ideas to propose "profitable" investments, assuming there are any; he suggested investments to increase exports to improve the balance of payments deficit.

As Portugal's greatest assets are its climate and location, those investments should be in quality tourism, following Spain's lead perhaps, to eliminate the mediocre and make prices more competitive.