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VHeadline.com commentarist Oscar Heck writes:  Now that the Venezuelan opposition appears to have calmed down somewhat, people can get back to work again ∑ to do business with Venezuela, to start businesses in Venezuela … to create jobs and opportunities, to collaborate with government-created education-to-work programs such as Mision Vuelvan Caras (Mission About-face).

Venezuela is a land of opportunity (today) … versus a land of opportunists (in the past).

Traditionally, Venezuela has been a well-hidden secret, a heaven-on-earth of sorts: the cool and mystical Andes of Merida and Tachira, the deserts of Falcon, the hot steamy jungles of the Amazonas, los Llanos, the windy Caribbean coast and its perfect, often hidden beaches … and most of all, its people.

It has also been a land where “the corrupt” lived side-by-side with the average honest Venezuelan citizen. Corruption was a “way of life” … a way of life which is slowly but surely falling out of popularity”

finally. Venezuelans were/are fed up with corruption and corrupt people and opportunists who do everything to advance their own personal cause while hypocritically neglecting the overall health/wealth of the Venezuelan society: its aboriginal people, its fishermen/women, its small farmers, its minimum-wage earners, its tradesmen/women, its small business people, its maids and servants, its mothers-at-home and its children.

Finally … things are changing … especially since the Chavez government has introduced free and accessible education and health services to many of the poorer Venezuelans (the majority). However, even though these services (missions) are well on their way, the job is not complete yet … it has a good way to go before all or most Venezuelans have unimpeded and uncorrupted access. It is a lengthy process of change within a society in which its majority (the 80%) had little or no access to education beyond 4th or 5th grade elementary and where from this same majority, people regularly died because they could not afford medical treatment … or there were no available medical services … or the few public “free” hospitals were so neglected that they were barely functional. Meanwhile, anyone with money or “connections” would get full access to the best medical treatment at private clinics and attend private elementary-schools, high-schools and universities … as well as benefit from “special” government services, contracts and “jobs.”

The present Venezuelan government has created an atmosphere where the poorer (traditionally squashed) Venezuelan, which represents the vast majority of Venezuelans, can now walk with their heads held high, where they are gaining access to education and medical services, where they no longer need to pay-off local government officials to benefit from free services and/or forms. Corruption still exists, especially (traditionally) within the government bureaucracy, but … the “common” Venezuelan can now openly denounce corruption (something never before seen in Venezuela in the past — most Venezuelans had to keep their mouths shut under threats to his/her job or life, and/or family).

The Venezuelan government encourages people to speak up against corruption and provides different avenues for dealing with those people who continue to practice corruption as in the past.

There are many things to do in Venezuela.

There are many places to visit.

There are many opportunities.

Venezuela today reminds me of Quebec (Canada‚s French Canadian province) between 1976 and 1982-3. For over 3 generations previous to this period, the province of Quebec had been “run” by “English Canada.” Many of the “English” refused to speak French and treated the French Quebecer as less-than-human. Although 80%+ of the population of Quebec was uni-lingual French, the “English elite” (along with their French Canadian cohorts) had been in the process of forcing the English language and the English ways upon the French Canadian. The English basically controlled everything: industry, education, politics and government … and the French (although the majority) had little or no rights or access to basic services.

In 1976 the Parti-Quebecois, a French Canadian Separatist political party won the elections with a majority government supported by the masses. Laws were quickly changed and enacted (through the National Assembly) supporting the French Canadian people, their culture and the French language. The “English” elite became very nervous and within a few years many companies were shut down or moved out of the province (mostly to Ontario, Canada‚s largest “English” province, next door to Quebec). At least 50% (probably more) of companies suddenly disappeared and the economy plunged. However, Quebecers, who are a very proud and resourceful people took on the challenge, created cooperatives, started thousands of small and micro businesses (many of which later became much larger), created high-level research centers and educational institutes … and eventually became one of the strongest economies in Canada. Bombardier is one of Quebec‚s greatest successes: a small family business started in Valcourt (a small town in Quebec), inventors of the Ski-doo (snowmobile) … which grew to be the largest manufacturing company in Canada‚s history.

Today they build trains, planes, recreational vehicles and operate companies in many countries including the USA, Ireland, France and Belgium.

Interesting note: The Ski-doo was the first snowmobile. When Armand Bombardier, its inventor, went to get some advertising/material printed, the printer made a mistake. Instead of printing Ski-dog, he printed Ski-doo … and Armand Bombardier henceforth adopted this name (trademark).

Quebec is also one of the areas of the world which is recognized for its above-average number of inventors and inventions and entrepreneurs. I have a theory. The more a certain group of people are repressed or oppressed (over long periods of time), the more inventive and resourceful (débrouillard) its members will be. Invention is often born from necessity and desperation. Contrary to this, a group of people who have never had to struggle, to seek their daily food, people who have never been in a desperate state, usually do not need to struggle or “invent” ways to survive.

This is Quebec. This is also Venezuela.

Up to 80% of Venezuela‚s population has traditionally had to struggle to make ends meet on a day-to-day basis, often living in desperation … and this, for generations. Therefore, it seems to me that many Venezuelans (those from the poorer working classes) must be very resourceful and inventive (and they are!). Just like the French Quebecers, the average Venezuelan is quite capable of taking destiny into his/her own hands, creating a better, stronger Venezuela … a stronger and more active economy and a land of greater and more inventive opportunity. As Quebec in the 1970s and 1980s, Venezuela is ripe.

Venezuela has another advantage. Venezuela is probably the most democratic country in the world and since Chavez has been in power, the government has physically demonstrated its super-human capacity to guide itself (and the country) along the lines of a true democracy … even when being systematically sabotaged by the opportunistic Venezuelans of the past (often associated with past governments and elite-controlled institutions such as the CTV and Fedecamaras). The CTV (Confederation of Trade Unions), a traditionally highly corrupt “labor” organization and a “sister” organization to Fedecamaras (Venezuelan Chamber of Commerce), is being slowly replaced by the UNT (National Union of Workers). Fedecamaras is being replaced by Empresarios Por Venezuela (Business People for Venezuela). The Supreme Tribunal of Justice (TSJ) is slowly being re-organized such that judges are selected through a National Assembly selection/evaluation committee rather than being appointed by the government itself (where the President of the country would basically appoint his friends, whether or not they were fit for the job … when and if they ever went to work).

The media (TV, Radio, newspapers, etc.) in Venezuela can now operate without any censorship whatsoever (unlike in the past).

So, for example, one can advertise without worrying about getting arrested or being disappeared. When one sends items by mail, from say North America, the packages get to their destination intact and usually within 10-14 days, even when the package is sent to a small out-of-the-way town or village. In the past, mail packages were often stolen along the way, and if the package did arrive at its destination, it often took months to get there.

Everything I say above is verifiable. Although I am an inventor, the above is not invention. It is real and concrete. It is palpable and tangible.

It is Venezuela … the land of opportunity.

Although Venezuela is the land of opportunity (the El Dorado that Sir Walter Raleigh so eagerly searched for), it is important that investors, business people, travelers and adventurers also keep in mind that Venezuela has had its share of opportunists in the past. Venezuela does not need opportunists, but rather, it needs honest business people … people who will preserve and cultivate Venezuela‚s natural beauty and who will treat its employees with dignity. It needs tourists and visitors who will respect the environment and the local populations and who will share with the local villages and towns rather than take away their public beaches for personal use or gain.

Venezuela needs international collaboration where business deals are not manipulated to personally enrich the minority corrupt elite as in the past. Business deals must be rational, profitable and equitable.

There is no reasonable reason for Venezuela to traditionally import 60-70% of its consumer products: food, plastics goods, furniture, clothes, medicine, and much more.

There is also no reasonable reason why Venezuela could not produce 60-70% of its own consumer goods.

Oscar Heck
mailto:oscar@vheadline.com

www.vheadline.com/heck More VHeadline.com commentaries by Oscar Heck

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