The recent visit of Colombian vice president, Angelino Garzón, United States seems to show that the Government is doing 'Every effort' to enter the global framework of globalization. This diplomatic trip had a specific purpose: to convince U.S. Congress that Colombia is a country that offers sufficient guarantees, in business terms and in terms of human rights, for the signing of NAFTA.
with similar interests have been addressed bilateral economic agreements with countries such as Brazil, Canada and other European Union nations involved in negotiations with Colombia. However, the unbridled desire to sign international treaties contrasts negligence and apathy that has been shown in the country on far more significant events to make this a truly competitive territory.
is pointless to think that Colombia may add value to their products and services, where science and technology (necessary to form a knowledge society) are treated, economically speaking, is indifferent.
are clear facts that prove it, such as science and technology investment in the Gross Domestic Product, which in Colombia is not enough to exceed 0.2%. This figure is not only laughable next to the neighboring countries, but it looks tiny next to the 8% that is spent on war-torn country, a portfolio that allows the Colombian state afford (or dishonor?) Of Army have a higher than Brazil, the South American country's most internationally.
The neighboring country, for example, is a clear case of the objective should be drawn Colombia, since 2% of investment in science and technology, Brazil has been able talking with property from the United States and has also made plausible as the developing their own video game console (Zeebo.)
Faced with a scenario so adverse, the only thing left to offer the country is easy access to international industries ( the "investor confidence") and a factor that seems quite attractive to foreign investors capital: labor faster, cheaper and free of any social benefits.
Naturally, for never developed on territories with these characteristics. But even the ease of Colombia, at the expense of labor rights is not sufficient guarantee to appear as a competitive option in international markets, since in terms of quantity and quality is surpassed.
Just look at our apparel industry (which is one of the largest contributor to the growth of the Colombian economy) to realize it. Colombian textiles U.S. sold about 1,000 million dollars a year, while Mexico and Central sell U.S. $ 10,000,000,000 (Revista Cambio, 2005). States U.S. is the largest importer of apparel in the world and Colombia accounts for only 0.1% of trade.
These figures support a thesis understood by neighboring states like Chile, but here it still looks like a secret: the competitive strength of Latin American countries can not be in the mass of work, but in quality and added value of national production.
The choice of option (the workforce) has predictable consequences for the country because Colombia does not have enough human capital to compete in global markets, the volumes of production require entrepreneurs to turn to so-called outsourcing (outsourcing) to relieve the financial burden of some finishing processes of the products.
However, if political decision makers choose the second option (that of a knowledge society) the country can give to the world with production volumes additional value of a state that is able to integrate the outcome of the research with an industry that takes advantage the full potential of our territory.
This is achieved through the implementation of public policies to democratize access to new knowledge and updated, allowing citizens (regardless of class) make free use of new technologies for knowledge and promoting integration between the three key institutions to stake out the progress: private companies, university and state.
This, by far, is still an end so far as desirable, because the coverage rates of technologies such as internet differ significantly from international standards. Only 35% of Colombians have access to this technology, a figure that is doubled in the United States.
however have already appeared in the country attempts to promote progress. Former Sen. Martha Lucia Ramirez, promoter of the Law on Science and Technology, estimated that Colombia should point to an investment of 1.5% for science and technology. Not only that, but to set stable resources for colleges as Colciencias and ideally, create a ministry that is dedicated solely to these issues.
caliber proposals that are essential in a country which in the words of the Latin American writer Eduardo Galeano "has specialized in losing," it has chosen the path of the export of raw materials treated by others that get great returns for processing.
is no doubt that while Colombia did not understand the exigencies of the globalized market, will not serve the signing of FTAs, since all that is achieved will be the colossal crushing by the large international industry of ours.
think in competitive terms is an urgent need. Only then will the country be able to talk with its allies in terms of pairs, and not look like a farm full of laborers who ask mercy of a foreman who is considering tariff concessions.
@ rincondesantos
