Ana Vilma de Escobar
Ana Vilma de Escobar, vice president of El Salvador, has been visiting South Carolina on a trade mission. She answered questions put to her by a South Carolina paper:
Notice that in two of her three answers she speaks in terms of "stability." That's not surprising rhetoric from a leader of a conservative party in power.
QUESTION: What are the greatest growth opportunities for El Salvador?
ANSWER: The biggest challenge we have in El Salvador now is economic growth. We have succeeded in stabilizing the country politically.
QUESTION: What areas of the economy do you expect to expand, and what are you hoping to find in your visits here?
ANSWER: We have identified strategic sectors. The first one is logistics and distribution. ... Textiles is also one of the most important sectors. We presently have 90,000 jobs in that. We’re seeking investments in textile mills to produce the fabric that we’re currently importing. We’re importing about 90 percent of the fabric we use in the region, so there’s a big opportunity there.
QUESTION: This is 25 years since the death of Archbishop Oscar Romero and more than a decade since the civil war ended. How has the country changed in terms of the social inequalities that existed 25 years ago?
ANSWER: We are convinced that in order to maintain political and economic stability, the social stability is at the base. ... President Saca has launched an important educational program and health program which is being funded with a tax based on liquor, cigarettes and beer. ... In the last 15 years, GDP (gross domestic product) has doubled, and we have succeeded in lowering poverty levels 30 points.
Notice that in two of her three answers she speaks in terms of "stability." That's not surprising rhetoric from a leader of a conservative party in power.
Comments
The Salvadoran government's own statistics say that povery has declined approximately 14% (from 50% to 36%) and that extreme poverty (less than $1 per day in income) has declined from about 28% to 14%. See my earlier post on these statistics.
And the government cannot really take credit for this, since half or more of the reduction comes from remittances sent home by Salvadorans living abroad.
I can appreciate your concern for the country, but you come across as someone who has ideology issues with the current government. You offer name-calling, and problems but you offer no solutions.
A solid economic plan is the only way to get a resource-poor and overpopulated country out of extreme property. No ideology that ignores global economics is going to do accomplish this.
"Give the man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man how to fish and he will eat for life..."
That said, I am afraid many salvadoran suffer from ideology overload and need that precious education. I think Economics 101 will go a long way...
Dave