Colombia Mobilization Press Release
Celebrating Sustainable Urban Transport - Ciudad Humana
Colombia Needs our Help, and Badly
This letter demands a response
Now, I am no fan of having US or any other foreign troops fight the illegal armed groups in Colombia, but this letter demands a response.The education system is simply underfunded
(1) In Colombia, high-school graduates have similar status as college graduates do in the US. The education system is simply underfunded and even people in the cities don't always finish primary school. A friend of mine teaches at a public school in a middle class neighborhood of Medellin and she tells me that most of her students do not eat breakkfast before coming to school. They don't bring a lunch either. And dinner is not a sure thing at all. Many, she says subsist on the snack of salt crackers and hot chocolate provided by the school. You can imagine how much learning can take place under these conditions.No way to increase the budget
(2) Colombia, which has more people than Argentina or Spain, has annual national government revenues of $22 billion, half that of Argentina and one-fifth that of Spain. With more than 55% of the population in poverty and hard-hit by recession, I hardly see how the budget could be increased; this is one of the reasons why they have asked for aid from the international community.No tax collection ability
(3) With law enforcement and the military stretched so far that they have lost control even of much of the main cities, that most crimes go unsolved, that the illegal armed groups can massacre, rob, extort and kidnap at will, what kind of tax collection ability does the Congressmen think Colombia has? This is one more symptom of the problem.There are very good reasons
In conclusion, this is not to say that the Colombian people are blameless for their situation or that US troops should be sent in to fight the illegal armed groups. But it is to say that there are very good reasons for the faults that the Congressman has found. And that Colombia and its people do need our help, and very badly, indeed.
Colombia Needs our Help, and Badly
James here...
I am by no means intending to spark debate, just a curious American that is interested in Colombian affairs....
Most simply do not have the information, well, at least do not take the time to dig it up. So, here I am, looking for information and informative concversation.
I would agree that education is of utmost importance. AND even here in the U.S., teachers are WAY underpaid in my view. The problem here is that no matter how much importance (funding, or whatever it may be) is placed on education, there will ALWAYS be people that will try to undermine it's value...
Whether this is done through temptation (it is much easier for a 13 yr old to sell drugs on a street corner and feed himself and his family, than it is for him/her to attend school, graduate, get a good job), OR whether the undermining is done directly through violence and intimidation.
With that, don't you think that security is a vital component to building an education system/program?
How can you educate if people are gunned-down, are kidnapped on their way to school, are affraid to leave their homes?
Of course, I am speaking in incredible GENERALITIES here. But, bottom line... What kind of eductaion do you expect to provide if there is no safe place to do the educating?
I would agree, it's a quagmire. And speaking in my general terms probably seems non issue specific. But, I encourage you to keep this discussion going. I want to learn...
James
Regarding (3)
What regaring the wealth tax Uribe is posing (Expecting a $800 million income)How he is collecting this money?