2010 could be a turning point for Chile

To be published in The News-Sun on Wednesday, October 13.

SANTIAGO DE CHILE — Chile is having quite a year.

In January, the nation elected its first right-of-center president in over 50 years.

In February an 8.8 earthquake jolted the nation. A time of national sorrow.

In June, Chile defeated Honduras 2-1, its first World Cup victory in several decades. A time of national joy.

In August, the 33 miners of San José were trapped underground. As the days passed, the story grew grimmer, and most in Chile were convinced that there were no survivors. Then the miners were found to all be alive. A time of tremendous national joy.

Now finally the miners will be lifted out of the ground. Chileans have been waiting and praying for this day. Chileans feel a mix of pride and embarrassment: Pride for the enormous courage and strength the miners have demonstrated and embarrassment for the unsafe working conditions.

The question of who is to blame remains unanswered. Many Chileans blame the owners of the mine who allowed the mine to continue working in sub-par standards. Other Chileans — to my surprise — actually feel sorry for the owners, and some say the owners will declared bankruptcy, wait a few years and then find a way to get back into the mining business.

I don´t know if they will. But many experts believe Chile is one of the most economically unequal nations in the world. There is great inequality, as well, in the mining industry. Chile's multinational mining companies, for example BHP Biliton and Anglo American, where my husband works, apply high safety standards in accordance with international regulations. Many smaller mining companies do not have the resources to invest in high safety standards. Should the national government raise the standards? If they do, many of these smaller Chilean companies will find it difficult to keep their costs low enough to stay in business. But sub-standard conditions are clearly unacceptable and dangerous.

Chile wants to be a developed nation, and it is on its way. Chileans feel proud of the effective rescue effort that was led by Codelco, the national mining company. The Chilean rescue team, assisted by a few Americans and NASA workers, seemed almost flawless. Sure the drilling had to stop from time to time, but that was expected. President Piñera promised the miners
they would be out by Christmas. And now they are expected to be out two weeks before Halloween, a holiday that has become more and more popular in Chile during the last few years.

Chile can one day become a “first-world“ country. To get there, it will have to figure out how to “raise the floor“ in terms of standardized working conditions for all of its workers. Who is responsible and how to prevent these kinds of disasters must be addressed. Chileans must pressure government officials — particularly the president who has more legislative power than the Congress — to act. Unfortunately, I fear that Chileans might keep the joy, relief and pride of watching the miners be pulled out of the mine by a highly qualified rescue team, and not focus on the embarrassment and anger that would help prevent a future tragedy.

Chilean journalists and citizens must demand better working conditions and re-think Chile's plan to become a first-world nation.