Sunday, January 25, 2009

Planning and Politics

Manuel Pinho is the surprised minister, always expressing surprise at what goes on around him and with an extraordinary talent for opening his mouth and inserting his foot.

This weekend we have seen him complaining that the investigation into corruption in the Freeport planning approval process is politically motivated. I didn't hear him complaining when the media guns were pointed at members of the opposition. I was also surprised that he risked talking about anything located south of the river, but we all know he's thick (skinned).

Unfortunately, planning approval is a process so rife with corruption, that any commercial project approved in less than five years must have involved backhanders. But even then, the most important part of any commercial planning approval process is usually that it should bring political benefits to the planners who approve it. That doesn't appear to have been the case at Freeport, where large sums changed hands to allow construction of an Outlet that nobody wants, in the wrong place.

Nevertheless, I'm optimistic for the building industry in this triple election year, where sitting mayors will need to deliver on the promises made four years ago. Of course, they run the risk of being called to account in four or eight years' time, but that's politics!

Saturday, January 03, 2009

Leaf Blowers!


Just what I needed, first thing Boxing Day morning - the neighbour's gardener and his damned noise machine (not necessarily this brand).

When I stuck my head out of the window, the guy was apparently using it to blow all the leaves and pine needles off the neighbour's deck, spraying them anywhere else, including into the pool! I suppose it's democratic - in the current economic climate both the gardener and the pool boy need to keep their jobs, so why shouldn't they make work for each other?

Haven't yet understood why these things are so bloody loud though!

Thursday, January 01, 2009

New Year

Well, looks like I didn't find time to post anything in December. Too much depressing news to comment on, like the effective collapse of capitalism, where all economic sectors find themselves over-stretched and needing government bail-outs, or the ridiculous Portuguese consitutional crisis!

So here we go with another year - arbitrarily starting on January 1, which has no astronomic significance nor is the anniversary of anybody in particular, but the year has to start somewhere, right? No resolutions, great ambitions or so forth. Just a case of keeping ones head down and waiting for the worst to pass...