Posted on 03/01/2010 10:48:11 AM PST by C19fan
The 8.8-magnitude earthquake that hit Chile early on Feb. 27 was 500 times stronger than the 7.0 quake that killed an estimated 200,000 Haitians last month. And yet the number of casualties in Chile appears to be exponentially smaller, with the official death toll still in the hundreds. Far fewer people were rendered homeless than in Haiti, and much of the telephone service in Santiago and parts of central Chile had been restored within five hours.
(Excerpt) Read more at time.com ...
As most typical liberals forget, the reason Chile has enforceable building codes is because it is wealthier. If you forced such rigorous building codes in Haiti probably 90% of the population would be homeless.
The Chile quake provides all the more reason to demand that, in return for billions of dollars in aid, Haiti must agree to terms that will force it to improve its abysmal governance. "
Yeah right that will happen. It is going to take a Haitian version of Pinochet or making Haiti a de-facto colony of the US for generations to overturn 2 centuries of a corrupt political culture.
Wrong. It's the other way around: Chile is more developed because it's doing things right. The same goes for Brazil, Uruguay, Costa Rica and a handful of other Latin American and Caribbean nations that have decided in the 21st century to stop running their societies like medieval fiefdoms. They've conceded that niceties like rule of law, accountability, education, entrepreneurial opportunity and administrative efficiency actually have merit. And they've stopped making worn-out excuses, like the threats of communism or U.S. imperialism, for not modernizing their political and economic systems.
Kudos for pointing that out.
But those who doubt Haiti's ability to transform its government should note that Chile wasn't always an OECD candidate — it spent 17 years, from 1973 to 1990, under a brutal military dictatorship — and that Haitians are more than capable of emulating Chileans if given the chance.
The author fails to mention it was during the Pinochet years Chile was taken on the path to become the most developed country in Latin America.
Haiti does not have a pot to spit in (ok they are really really poor). Chile is not a poor country and even said to everyone - Don’t send anything right now. Yes two different earthquakes but significantly different situations. I doubt highly that San Francisco was looking for aid when they had the earthquake in what? 1994? Anyway rich countries don’t need as much aid as poor ones. In fact, Haiti is towards the bottom with regards to pay per capita. However, soon the United States will be requesting debt relief for our country....I want to see that today quite frankly.
Chile is the best run country in Latin America, thanks to Pinochet. Privatized social security and on and on. Argentina and Venezuela are socialist dumps. Brazil only saving grace is energy.
Haiti has always been a disaster and a welfare state.
That sounds pretty neat to me.
I wonder when the United States will pick up on that (again).
The biggest difference is REBAR.
Chile has been and still is my number one choice for where on our planet to go when the USA is no more. Would you believe protection for the unborn is IN their constitution?
It aggrivates me to no end that these people live in a third world country while sitting in a virtual paradise. They have lands for agriculture, pristine beaches for potential tourism (parts of Haiti does use the cruise ships for tourism) but the citizens act like they are flailing in the wind when it comes to governing themselves.
Government is the problem, always has been the problem and always will be the problem.
Top of my list as well.
It's not an act.
.
How can you say it will “always be a problem.” Have you no faith, or do you have a direct link above?
I don’t think people should give up on Haiti ever reforming. Look at all the liberals who said Bush was unrealistic in thinking that democracy could ever work in Iraq. It might, actually. It’s really improving there.
Faith in what? The Government? No, I have no faith in the government. No link needed.
in all fairness the epicenter of the quakes were far different in proximity to populations and easily disturbed hillsides and mucky alluvial bottoms on the lower parts
it wasn’t just codes though that is a factor
many folks in Port Au Prince who perished were in single story homes
My brother in law lives in Santiago. The earthquake registered 7.2 in Santiago.
He has kept in touch by phone and email since 6am the day of the earthquake.
He recognizes that they faired much better than Haiti. He notes that building damage was rare in his area. There is still concern for secondary hazards (downed power lines, traffic snarls due to the collapse of a major highway section) and there will be a big mess to clean up inside people’s homes.
But clearly Chile’s building standards and infrastructure have saved hundreds of thousands of lives. And the stability of the Chilean government was a big factor in providing a response to the injured and homeless.
they use rebar in Haiti....cement floors and walls and even brick walls without some reinforcement won’t stand up on their own...the problem is too little steel and maybe more importantly...honeycombed cement....I used to import rebar-cement to there...but there is little code aside from designer based and bank required
but as a building owner...I would hesitate to think of codes as a cureall
most responsible contractors and engineers-architects know full well how to build safe structures without being made to by codes...as per local geography
problem in Haiti is most folks just build their own...with semi skilled help and some electrical guy
The structure of govt in Chile is similar to the US. The attitude is very much to the left. Except in the upper economic classes.
As you consider the future, don’t make the mistake of thinking that Chile is a conservative paradise. Any fiscal conservative has to be tolerant of widespread ideas that are similar to those of our current US left wing.
Things like “education is a human right”. Things like the UN is a wonderful, useful bunch of people.
>>I wonder when the United States will pick up on that (again).<<
.
Can never happen (again). Too much multiculturalism here with every little subculture grinding its own little axe. Notice the lack of “diversity” in the Chilean population.
I think we could get back there... but the ratio of takers to doers is getting pretty dicy.
Libtard logic.
“It is going to take a Haitian version of Pinochet or making Haiti a de-facto colony of the US for generations to overturn 2 centuries of a corrupt political culture.”
The US is Haiti in 2 generations if we don’t get this ship turned around.
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