Time to look forward and plan for the future

I am pleased that the situation in Cyprus resolved itself.

At the last minute, as these things invariably do.

And isn't that simply part of the problem? Instead of having a long-term strategy, carefully and intelligently thought out with plans that provide a degree of resistance to external forces, everything still seems to have to be done on the fly.

When the crisis hits, are we prepared?

And how do we move forward from there?

Too much policy in Europe at least seems to be based upon looking over our shoulders and trying to fix what went wrong. I would like to know what the strategy for the future is.

Not just how do we get out of the current mess, but how do we create a future that is better, more secure and more resilient for citizens across the continent; and for the nationalists out there - when you can run your economies without any imports or needing to export you can have your silly party titles with "national" and "independent" in them! And how many of you are capable of providing enough of your own energy resources that you don't need to import any?

Otherwise, wharrever the arrangement (and as much as I support the EU, I will also agree with those that suggest that the structure needs a substantial overhaul) we are all facing the same problems, and without cooperation we are all likely to sink further into the proverbial quicksand.

What is needed though is positive thinking that will take us forward, improve living standards, remove the scourges that our affecting us (unemployment is disgusting at any level, at 11% it is totally and thoroughly unacceptable), and break the negative stranglehold that is dragging us down further and further.

Once in a downward spiral, things only get worse. That has to be reversed and quickly. Current policy is simply not working. We need to look at alternatives, and it is time for action not theory. Too many lives are being wasted, too many good people are being thrown to the proverbial wolves!

I personally believe that we need to start looking again at industry. Why we cannot help resolve the crises in Spain and Greece (and Portugal and Italy) by building light engineering plants and producing goods there - in the private sector! - I do not understand!

And getting things started now with some initial losses knowing that in 5 years time things will be a lot better makes a lot of sense. Investment, not speculation. Planning for the future, knowing that it is bound to be of benefit to us all. That is where we should be looking.

Going forward, practically and seriously, with positive actions not with fear and apprehension and constantly being dragged back by the negative forces that we have encountered in the past few years.

It can't be done? See Europe in ruins in 1946 and experiencing rapidly growing prosperity in 1960. History tells us otherwise. 

But it needs ideas upon which we can act, it needs investment, it needs planning and achievable objectives. It also needs us to turn round and wave our middle fingers at the current situation and say "enough - be rid of you!" .... and then move on with bold positive steps forward down the road!