Job gloom

THERE are now 100'000 people without a job in the Balearics, this is roughly 10 percent of the actual population and more than 20 percent of the working population. In Spain unemployment now stands at 4.2 million. Balearic President Jose Ramon Bauza has promised to tackle unemployment but he faces a mamoth task. It is relatively simple to understand why unemployment is so high; there are only a handful of hotels open and the building sector has been brought to a standstill by the recession. If the Balearic administration can revive these two industries they will go a long way to resolving the unemployment problem. If the local authorities tried to promote winter tourism then more hotels would stay open and the resorts could be brought to life. The building industry could be helped by allowing the contruction of more cheap housing. The Chief Executive of Ryanair, Michael O´Leary said that tourism is one of the easiest ways to create jobs. He has called for landing fees to be reduced at Palma airport to encourage more flights. He has a point. If the Balearic government wants to resolve the problem of unemployment then they must listen to people like O´Leary and others. Bauza must try and get the tour operators operating 12 months a year in the Balearics. The weather can no longer be an excuse and the Balearics can easily be a top winter getaway holiday destination. The government needs to start work now.