The government wants to listen

“A public administration has to be open to society and ready to support people who have experiences to share,” Balearic vice president, Minister for Commerce Pere Sampol proclaimed yesterday. Sampol added that the local government wants to hear what society thinks about the government economic and tourism policies, hence the government is hosting the region's first economic, commerce and industry conference, which will be open to all. The minister said that the Balearics is a region which has suffered a sequence of sharp cultural and social changes in a very short period of time and that now, “the time is right for the public to reflect and think about what has happened to themselves and how the Balearics has changed with regards to the rest of the world.” Sampol explained that the aim of the conference is not to debate polcicy, but for everyone to put their cards on the table and discuss how the Balearics is going to face the future. Director general for the Economy, Antoni Monserrat, said that the government wants to open up a forum for local academics, professionals and institutions to debate and discuss a wide range of specific topics within the three key fields. These would include diversification of the tourism industry, making local products more competitive in the European and international markets and the effects of globalisation on the Balearic economy.