Colombia has faced three chronic diseases since long time ago, they are residential burglary and mugging; government corruption and unemployment. At first glance it appears that government is doing nothing for solving these issues, every day there are more cases of these types of illness, burglary and mugging show an increasing trend as well government corruption and unemployment is about 8% and 10% when it must be around 3%. The big problem is public servants just think in their own benefits and they do not be aware of the citizens economic welfare and security. To get better results all three powers of Estate have to be aware of social welfare instead of private befits such as their pensions, increasing their salaries, reelections and getting job places for their relatives, of course they can work on it but no all day through all year.
Author: Humberto Bernal,
Economist,
e-mail: zhumber@gmail.com
Through daily news and statistics from Colombia one can point out the main problems that this society faces. These problems can be called the three chronic diseases of Colombia, they are: residential burglary and others types of robbery, government corruption and unemployment. This note shows how these diseases are getting more room in Colombia. It is fair to remember that Colombia has a population of 46 millions in 2012, this number lets making easier relative comparisons with other countries.
The residential burglary disease
The number of residential burglary cases showed an increasing trend from 2002 to 2011 as figure 1 shows. While in 2002 there were 16,093 cases of this type of violation of human right, this figure went up to reach 17,071 cases in 2011. The main problem with this type of crime is families lose their stuff such as computers, jewelry, TVs, clothing and so. The most ironic issue is families pay their taxes to be safe of this type of crime but central and local government do not take the proper actions against this issue. Other type of crime which is a pain to Colombians is mugging such as those in cash points. Mugging faced by Colombians went from 33,431 cases in 2002 to 63,308 in 2011.
Figure 1. Residential burglary in Colombia 2002-2011
(number of cases)
Source: Ministry of Defense Colombia.
The government corruption disease
Corruption is an issue that brings higher inequality income distribution, resources that must go to improve security such as lower rate of robbery or lower homicide rate are taking to private uses such as apartments abroad owned by corrupt politicians, luxury stuff what is not for social welfare and so. Unfortunately Colombia shows high levels of corruption and this is well known by international organizations. The index calculated by Transparency International Organization took Colombia in a place 94 out of 174 places in 2012, this index adjusted by the total number of places in the sample showed an increasing trend for Colombia between 1996 and 2012 as figure 2 shows. At first glance it appears that government is not working properly to eliminate this illness, the justice is slow, employees from this branch of government faces huge gap in salaries as other professions in Colombia and employees from justice power on their own benefits. It is a call for improving colombia justice in order to protect citizens rights as the Cost-Benefits theory demand.
Figure 2. Government Corruption Perceptions Index for Colombia 1996-2012
(Rank into total places %*)
* 0: no corruption; 100: highest corruption.
Source: Transparency International and own calculations.
The unemployment disease
Unemployment is a state of the society through people feel lack of social belonging, government must work on it to improve social welfare but this work is not well doing in Colombia in the last years as figure 3 shows. The unemployment rate in Colombia is around 8% and 10% when it must be around 3% and 4% as maximum. The government duty is to work on this issue through labour opportunities such as fair salary, social health and fair pension system. Unfortunately this opportunities are missing due to high rates of interest from banks, abuses of employers and education where the main target goes with the importance of private own benefits instead of working to get a better social welfare society.
Figure 3. Unemployment rate in Colombia 1996-2012*
(%)
*2012 the unemployment is for october while others years are for december.
Source: Bureau of Statistics (DANE and DNP).
Source: Bureau of Statistics (DANE and DNP).
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