Ernani Polo takes office as Secretary of Economic Development

The new state secretary for Economic Development, Ernani Polo, took office this Monday (6th), replacing Joel Maraschin. The ceremony began at 6:55 pm, in the Auditorium of the Fernando Ferrari Administrative Center (Caff), in Porto Alegre. The event was attended by Governor Eduardo Leite, several politicians and representatives of business entities and the private sector.

Polo was secretary of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation (in the management of José Ivo Sartori), state deputy and president of the Legislative Assembly.

At the ceremony, Polo praised the work already carried out by the portfolio team and expressed optimism for what is to come. “It is a secretariat very similar to the agricultural sector in which you plant and can harvest the fruits in another period”, he emphasized. He added that the Secretariat for Development is transversal and dialogues with all areas of government. Polo also thanked his progressive party (PP) colleagues. The secretary added that one of his goals is to identify the State’s regional vocations and open up markets in all sectors.

Despite the inauguration ceremony having been celebrated only now, more than 30 days after his appointment, last week Polo was already fulfilling agendas for the folder. The secretary was in Curitiba, participating in events with the agencies Invest Paraná and Invest Minas. Among the mission’s agendas was the goal of bringing the State closer and integrating with entrepreneurs, seeking to structure an organization in Rio Grande do Sul to further strengthen the attraction for investments and focus more strongly on opening new markets, thus boosting production gaucha. Paraná and Minas Gerais already have this structure defined.

“The intention is to encourage the entrepreneurial ecosystem of economic development in the gaucho territory, which involves all areas with the objective of attracting investments and promoting products with the purpose of opening new markets”, stated Polo.

Governor Eduardo Leite drew attention to the work that the secretariat has been doing to reduce bureaucracy in processes. He also commented that it is not possible to do everything that is planned in a single government. “But, let’s try to do the best,” he said.