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EDITORIAL: Jamaica's Part In Chilean Drama
Published: Saturday | October 16, 20103 Comments and 0 Reactions
After 69 days of nail-biting drama in Chile, the world witnessed the spectacular rescue of 33 miners on Tuesday and Wednesday as they emerged from the bowels of the earth where they had been trapped more than 2,000 feet under since August 5, when their mine caved in.
The story was an inspiring one of courage and perseverance. For 17 days, they had no contact with the rest of the world, yet the 33 men kept spirits high, sharing 660 square feet of living space and feeding on a spoon of tuna, a biscuit, and a sip of milk every 48 hours. The challenges they endured living in such conditions, while facing their mortality, had few precedents in modern times. So, as the Phoenix raised the men to the surface to heart-warming reunions with their families, the world community became one global village, cheering on 32 Chileans and a Bolivian.
Miners toil in harsh conditions and in relative anonymity. And as they work below the earth's surface, mining accidents are not uncommon. In China alone, more than 2,600 miners were killed last year. Yet, the ordeal of these 33 would mean very little if the government of Chile does not move to overhaul mine-safety rules to protect the lives of thousands who continue to labour in mineral troves underground. The San Jose mine was closed in 2006 and 2007 because of safety violations and was reportedly reopened without those concerns being addressed.
There will, no doubt, be pressure on mining concerns throughout the world to adopt international standards of mine safety and perhaps for a watchdog agency with teeth.
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The government of President Sebastián Piñera deserves high praise for this flawless rescue. Indeed, the whole meticulous operation has added lustre to Chile's image. Piñera provided strong leadership, first by recognising that the job was beyond Chile's capabilities and reaching out to the world to find the best talent, skills and equipment, with the result that the effort included the use of Korean cellphones; fibre optic cables from Germany; a high-calorie liquid diet from NASA, which built the capsule dubbed Phoenix; an Austrian winch and pulley system; involvement of Japanese and English investors, who paid for the drilling rigs; and American drills and equipment.
The Chileans put the best minds to work in order to pull off this stunning technological feat. But also, the Chilean government is being praised for giving impetus to the spirit of solidarity and national unity. Notice the waving of flags and the singing of the national anthems of Chile and Bolivia.
We cannot help wondering, with the penchant for bungling that we have seen displayed by the current Jamaica Labour Party administration, whether any kind of industrial disaster could have been handled locally with such finesse. One thing we know for sure is that there are tremendous lessons to be learnt from this Chilean experience.
It is interesting that although the men became a group, depending on each other for survival while in their granite prison, once they were above ground they shed that image and became individuals again. One man wanted the comfort of hearing rock star Elvis Presley, and another, Victor Zamora, sought inspiration from our own reggae superstar, Bob Marley. So although Jamaica played no part in the rescue operations, we were somewhere in the mix, giving hope through one of our cultural icons. And we should be proud of that. The miners have been flooded with gifts of cash and kind, but it is not too late for the Jamaica Tourist Board to extend an invitation to the 33 miners to enjoy the sea, sun, and fun of Bob Marley's island.
The opinions on this page, except for the above, do not necessarily reflect the views of The Gleaner. To respond to a Gleaner editorial, email us: editor@gleanerjm.com or fax: 922-6223. Responses should be no longer than 400 words. Not all responses will be published
Published: Saturday | October 16, 20103 Comments and 0 Reactions
After 69 days of nail-biting drama in Chile, the world witnessed the spectacular rescue of 33 miners on Tuesday and Wednesday as they emerged from the bowels of the earth where they had been trapped more than 2,000 feet under since August 5, when their mine caved in.
The story was an inspiring one of courage and perseverance. For 17 days, they had no contact with the rest of the world, yet the 33 men kept spirits high, sharing 660 square feet of living space and feeding on a spoon of tuna, a biscuit, and a sip of milk every 48 hours. The challenges they endured living in such conditions, while facing their mortality, had few precedents in modern times. So, as the Phoenix raised the men to the surface to heart-warming reunions with their families, the world community became one global village, cheering on 32 Chileans and a Bolivian.
Miners toil in harsh conditions and in relative anonymity. And as they work below the earth's surface, mining accidents are not uncommon. In China alone, more than 2,600 miners were killed last year. Yet, the ordeal of these 33 would mean very little if the government of Chile does not move to overhaul mine-safety rules to protect the lives of thousands who continue to labour in mineral troves underground. The San Jose mine was closed in 2006 and 2007 because of safety violations and was reportedly reopened without those concerns being addressed.
There will, no doubt, be pressure on mining concerns throughout the world to adopt international standards of mine safety and perhaps for a watchdog agency with teeth.
international resources
The government of President Sebastián Piñera deserves high praise for this flawless rescue. Indeed, the whole meticulous operation has added lustre to Chile's image. Piñera provided strong leadership, first by recognising that the job was beyond Chile's capabilities and reaching out to the world to find the best talent, skills and equipment, with the result that the effort included the use of Korean cellphones; fibre optic cables from Germany; a high-calorie liquid diet from NASA, which built the capsule dubbed Phoenix; an Austrian winch and pulley system; involvement of Japanese and English investors, who paid for the drilling rigs; and American drills and equipment.
The Chileans put the best minds to work in order to pull off this stunning technological feat. But also, the Chilean government is being praised for giving impetus to the spirit of solidarity and national unity. Notice the waving of flags and the singing of the national anthems of Chile and Bolivia.
We cannot help wondering, with the penchant for bungling that we have seen displayed by the current Jamaica Labour Party administration, whether any kind of industrial disaster could have been handled locally with such finesse. One thing we know for sure is that there are tremendous lessons to be learnt from this Chilean experience.
It is interesting that although the men became a group, depending on each other for survival while in their granite prison, once they were above ground they shed that image and became individuals again. One man wanted the comfort of hearing rock star Elvis Presley, and another, Victor Zamora, sought inspiration from our own reggae superstar, Bob Marley. So although Jamaica played no part in the rescue operations, we were somewhere in the mix, giving hope through one of our cultural icons. And we should be proud of that. The miners have been flooded with gifts of cash and kind, but it is not too late for the Jamaica Tourist Board to extend an invitation to the 33 miners to enjoy the sea, sun, and fun of Bob Marley's island.
The opinions on this page, except for the above, do not necessarily reflect the views of The Gleaner. To respond to a Gleaner editorial, email us: editor@gleanerjm.com or fax: 922-6223. Responses should be no longer than 400 words. Not all responses will be published
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