Forbes
July 18, 2011
Given its rich mercantile heritage in the Mediterranean, Greece should be the Hong Kong/Singapore/ Switzerland of the Balkans. Its emigrants and their descendants have been huge business successes in the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, Canada and elsewhere. Yet Greece is bankrupt, fiscally and politically.
Why is Greece such a basket case? And what are the implications for Europe and the U.S.?
I recently participated in the Greek Power Summit 2011--Helping Greece Rebuild, which was held in Athens. Here's a wee incident that underscores how clueless and irresponsible the Greek government has become. The bulk of attendees at this confab were business and financial executives who are either Greek emigrants or of Greek descent. They went to Athens to size up investment opportunities and offer suggestions on how to bring the failed Greek economy back to life. These executives manage corporate and financial assets in the tens of billions of dollars. Yet the government acted as if they weren't there. Sure, it was teetering, but you'd think that some top ministers--or at least their high-level representatives-- might have found a few minutes to make contact with these influential executives and entrepreneurs. Not a chance. No one from the president's or the prime minister's office came by or asked us to come over and say hello. Ditto the finance ministry. Leaders of the supposedly conservative opposition? Nowhere to be found.
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Παρουσίαση στην Καθημερινή. Δες επίσης εδώ και εδώ.
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