Falklands : South American Nationalism: Should the Falklands Hit the Panic Button?
Submitted by Falkland Islands News Network (Juanita Brock) 11.01.2007 (Article Archived on 25.01.2007)
What's good for the gosling is also good for the goose.
SOUTH AMERICAN NATIONALISATION: SHOULD THE FALKLANDS HIT THE PANIC BUTTON?
By J. Brock (FINN)
When reports of Venezuela nationalising its telecommunications (presumably internet, phones and media entities) and electrical industries reached the major news networks there was spin about how Venezuelan stocks took a 20% tumble. One would imagine that the electrical entities that Venezuela wants to take over include power generation. The Government of Bolivia has also announced that it nationalise its mining industry as well as their hydrocarbons industry.
However, Venezuela’s President Chavez’ call for aggressive socialism has a familiar ring here in the Falklands when we realise that our government already has control of power generation and telecommunications by proxy through Cable & Wireless. There are other areas, like health care, that by necessity must be run by government. The policy works well in a small society like ours where over half the workforce work for a stable, well funded government.
Admittedly, there are frustrations for small, independent businesses who must compete with government subsidised ones – especially if the independent businesses are set up first. I would imagine that some of Venezuela’s relevant entities are feeling the same frustration at this point.
Among the differences between what is happening in Venezuela and in Bolivia and what takes place here in the Falklands is that when a Falklands business loses in competition with Government there is little to no compensation from FIG. At least there is talk of compensating businesses in Venezuela and Bolivia.
To be blunt, though, socialism isn’t as evil as it is cracked up to be in the media. For the Falklands it provides everyone with education, health care, roads, water, electricity, telecommunications and even social welfare to name a few. The jury is still out on whether these things can reach all of Bolivia’s population. Given the popularity of President Chavez in the recent election in Venezuela, it is obvious that some of the country’s national wealth is trickling down to people who need it.
And what does push that dreaded button in the Falklands? As an independent media person, I think I just pushed it!
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