Sergio Zuncheddu , publisher of L'Unione Sarda, entrepreneur and author of the book Buongiorno SarDegna , was today the protagonist of the episode of "La Strambata" ( THE PODCAST HERE ) hosted by Lorenzo Paolini , editorial director of L'Unione Sarda, and the journalist Mariella Careddu .

A long interview ( broadcast in streaming on radiolina.it and repeated on Radiolina this evening at 11pm, tomorrow morning at 4am and Saturday 16 December at 8.30am) starting from the publisher's book , a reflection on Sardinia with an eye to future and the importance of making that turning point and that " change of direction ", as in the title of the Radiolina programme, starting from what the Island has been, from its richness in the historical, cultural and environmental heritage, which must be protected and valued .

Precisely from the tripartite division of the volume, "where we come from", "where we are" and "where we can go", the meaning of the work: «To understand where we are and where we can go – explained Zuncheddu – it is essential to understand where we come from, know the history of our beloved Earth . To improve the future it is essential to know the mistakes of the past and have a clear perception of the current condition ."

THE COMMITMENT – Like the child who, right at the end of the work «awoke completely and was fully aware of the bitter reality: everything still had to be done! That innocent little being, full of hope and trust in the future, aware of the commitment necessary to complete the task to which everyone was called, began the day with a half bow to his Earth, as a sign of respect, and with a kind greeting . Good morning Sardinia."

And just like the child in the finale, Zuncheddu recalled, all of us are called to a task to safeguard our Earth, to save it, to make it a hospitable and attractive place, even for those who are not guests . It's not enough to dream or chat, we need to act as the entrepreneur underlines: «Time is running out to reverse the economic situation of Sardinia».

YOUNG PEOPLE – Young people are also at the center of the work, they are the future of the island. " Young people need to take ownership of their own future and shape it " is Zuncheddu's invitation. «It is precisely those young people who must be able to live in places where they can express their abilities, their creativity, their talents and welcome them in the best possible way . There are welcoming places for young people: without going far, in Milan, for example, there are the best universities, the best hospitals and even the best companies. A city in which education, work and healthcare function, creating an environmental context that favors development and becomes attractive for them." «If once arms were exported, today talents are exported», continues Zuncheddu. But without young people Sardinia does not have, cannot have, a prosperous future . And so the invitation is also to leave, but "then to return". And therefore «leave to learn, learn and then, perhaps, bring what you have learned to the “Sardinian House”». Sergio Zuncheddu left the island when he was 18 years old. «I left and if I were young I would leave again. I would see the world, I would interpret it and then I would come back."

ECONOMY THAT SUFFERES – So a reflection on the Sardinian economy , an economic system that suffers. With a curious metaphor: « Sardinia is like a puddle with a little fish . What does the little fish do? He struggles, writhes to find water and breathe. Sardinia is the little fish and to save the little fish you have to invest, you have to add water. It's the only way to make him swim peacefully and happy. On the island, investments are held back by a thousand obstacles. In Sardinia there is no awareness that investment is what produces income, collective wealth and spreads well-being among the population. We don't have this ability. The Sardinian ruling class does not have this ability. Not only the political one but also the bureaucratic, entrepreneurial and trade union ones."

THE RULING CLASS – The book also contains opinions, sometimes severe, on the ruling class. And among the virtuous figures who stand out, it is impossible to forget that of Mariano Quarto , father of Eleonora d'Arborea, «who worked admirably to try to free Sardinia from the Spanish. He was a great judge and if he hadn't died from the black plague he probably would have managed to free all of Sardinia: all he was missing was Cagliari and a small piece of the Alghero area."

COURSE REVERSAL – So the suggestions , of which the third part of the book is full, on where we can go and, above all, what we can do. « We should have clarity on the strategy to create collective wealth and spread well-being – reflects Zuncheddu – We must start from an analysis of the resources we have at our disposal to understand how the resources can be used to create collective profit. And therefore the "protection of the landscape", not only as an aesthetic value but as a resource ". «Its protection is also one of the missions of L'Unione Sarda – underlined the publisher – which seeks to raise awareness among Sardinians, readers, about the landscape resource. The landscapes excite, let's imagine a Sardinian landscape, the hills, or the marine horizon of our splendid island. Then we imagine that this landscape, capable of touching the spirit of those who look at it, perhaps at sunset, is disfigured by wind turbines. Beyond the aesthetic and spiritual value, the landscape has an economic value that must be protected in everyone's interest. The last true resource we have left and it is the one that produces attractiveness compared to the rest of the world ."

THE BUSINESSES – There are also many references to the Lombardy reality: one of the places in the author's life and where the ruling class is aware of the fact that to spread well-being it is necessary to create collective wealth. «Businesses produce real wealth – recalled Zuncheddu –. It is private businesses that produce wealth. In Sardinia, except for a few exceptions, there is hostility towards businesses , where entrepreneurs are victims of regional and municipal bureaucracy."

SARDINIAN AND LOMBARD TIMES – The publisher and entrepreneur also gave the example of the comparison between Sardinian and Lombard times. «If it took 17 years to build the Santa Gilla complex in Cagliari before obtaining permission for its construction, in Milan, in Lombardy, the times are significantly shorter. An example can certainly be that of " Merlata Bloom Milano ", the new super innovative shopping center located in the Cascina Merlata district of the Lombardy capital. It is inserted in a context of urban regeneration called "Mind". With its 100,000 square meters it is, perhaps, the largest shopping center in Italy. The project was filed and presented in June 2020, in the midst of the Covid period, and on November 27 of the same year, with 2/3 of the staff of the municipality of Milan in smart working, it was approved".

The Pirri shopping center is a Sardinian example to talk about. In 2014, a request was presented to renovate and make a small extension: approval came after 8 years . If that investment had been made at the right time it would have had a positive impact on the area which has now been lost. The five months in Lombardy versus the eight years in Sardinia recall the difficulty of the businesses mentioned earlier: «Let's also think about the myriad of entrepreneurs who don't have the resources to deal with these things. The public administration doesn't care about businesses, growth, the economy. There are countries where, when you go to invest, they roll out a red carpet for you. In America, municipal officials are incentivized to collect charges and create activities, to encourage investments. Here you present a project and you wait for them to tell you it's not good", says Zuncheddu. «When you block investments, delay them, you are causing damage to the community – continues Zuncheddu –. There should be a specific crime for harm to the community."

«We Sardinians must make ourselves more aware of the fact that we must defend Sardinia – the conclusion – this is our home. It's as if they wanted to install wind turbines in our garden or cover our flowers with photovoltaic panels. The panels are placed on the roofs of Sardinian houses but we must not allow speculation to the detriment of the landscape. We must not allow what we have already allowed."

(Unioneonline)

© Riproduzione riservata