He took the floor and immediately explained the reasons for his desire for redemption: «If I subtract what I collect from what I produce, it emerges that in Sardinia we have 5 billion and 200 million of negative tax residue», the publisher said from Oliena of the L'Unione Sarda group, Sergio Zuncheddu. An incredible deficit, every year covered in some way by the state. Here is the island that struggles, revealed by the entrepreneur from Burcei. Buongiorno SarDegna's "journey" stopped at Magie d'Inverno, in the setting of the Su Gologone hotel, in front of a packed audience. A book that tells of boundless love for a land in danger, warns and calls for a change of pace, focused on young people and on the environmental wonders to be preserved.
New course
It is no coincidence that Zuncheddu chose the famous Barbagia accommodation facility to describe the island's strengths and weaknesses. Yes, because in these latitudes an entrepreneurial success was built by the spouses Peppeddu and Pasqua Palimodde. A virtuous path, where nature finds space and its exaltation, as well as the island identity, mixed with pride. In other words, this is the winning model, to be instilled in the new generations. Where the Island stands out, makes itself loved and desired, while welcoming the tourist who goes in search of strong emotions and boundless quality. In short, Sardinians must value themselves more, look to the future with a different and conscious approach, without forgetting the past. Because, as the author likes to repeat, the cornerstones are always the same: "Where we come from, where we are, where we can go".
Back and forth
In Oliena the entrepreneur-publisher spoke with transport. At times he even got excited about those detailed numbers reported in his book, irrefutable indicators of a malaise to be subverted, with stubbornness and brilliant ideas. Above all, he did not shy away from questions from Lorenzo Paolini, co-director and editorial director of L'Unione Sarda. «In your book I found a moral tension and also a bit of irritation, when it refers to the distraction of what "we are": what could a strong sense of identity be useful for?», asked Paolini. The response was immediate: «Just think about the demographics. In 2065, in Sardinia, there will be around one million and 180 thousand inhabitants. Ten years ago, when I wrote the first edition of the book, there were one million and 670 thousand of us. Today we are one million and 585 thousand: we have lost 85 thousand inhabitants in a decade." Then, he added: «We need to create the conditions, the Sardinian ruling class (politicians, bureaucrats, entrepreneurs and unions) must focus on those things that have an economic impact».
The street
Numbers but not only that. In Oliena Sergio Zuncheddu also showed off a video to underline the gap between the island and Lombardy. As an experienced entrepreneur, he made us understand with the support of images how the island's bureaucracy is practically unknown elsewhere, supplanted by a desirable efficiency, even in the midst of a pandemic. «In mid-June 2020 I presented the project for the construction of a 100 thousand square meter shopping center and 120 thousand car parks built inside the building», said Zuncheddu: «We were in full lockdown, without vaccines. Well, on November 27 of the same year, five months later, the Municipality of Milan authorized the project for an investment of approximately 500 million euros. In three years we completed the work." In Sardinia, however, it's a completely different story. «In 2014 we presented a project to renovate the Marconi shopping center in Pirri, with a small expansion. A 50 million euro intervention. And the building permit? It arrived in 2022."
Gianfranco Locci
