Chile Approves Huge Dam Project in Wild Patagonia

[rabs]

Large protests and demonstrations erupted throughout Chile tonight after a government commission approved a massive hydro-dam project in southern Aysen province, in Chile's pristine Patagonia.

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In downtown Santiago, several thousand people blocking a main avenue in protest also encountered tear gas and police water cannons.

Mining and Energy Minister Laurence Golborne had urged opponents to turn to the courts, and they did vow to appeal.

"We're going to keep fighting until this project is unviable," said Patricio Rodrigo, a spokesman for the Patagonia Without Dams coalition. "This project robs us of our sovereignty."

But Interior Minister Rodrigo Hinzpeter, who sent police to contain the protests, said that "the most important thing is that our country needs to grow, to progress, and for this we need energy."

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=13565082&page=2

------- Privately owned, tax-free Chilean rivers, owned by foreign transnationals.

It's another legacy of dictator Augusto Pinochet: To encourage development and undo his socialist predecessor's attempts at land reform, he made waterways the property of the state energy company and eliminated regulations to protect competing interests. The rules remained even after the company was privatized and sold to foreigners.

As a result, Chile's rivers are the tax-free, private property of the Spanish-Italian Endesa energy company, which now has huge influence and few incentives to modernize the system in ways that would encourage competition. Colbun SA, a Chilean electricity generator, also is participating in the HidroAysen project.

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This may turn out to be a major political crisis for right-wing President Pinera.

[RandomThoughts]

1. Do people have the right to be a part of the decisions of a society.

The corporate system says you only have say in something if you have a large amount of stock in a company.

That does not work in systems of much consolidations.

[rabs]

3. Chileans are trying to reclaim that right

There were protests in almost all of Chile's major cities tonight. Polls have shown that more than 60 percent of the people are opposed to the dams, which will be wholly foreign owned and operated. That includes Chileans from the left, and the right.

Fyi there is more in the Latin American forum.

[RandomThoughts]

4. Interestingly.

That topic brings up the conceptual topic of could a company build a dam.

The topic is should a company make that decision, different then Rachel's argument that they can't, but that for it to be profitable, making them want to, the people would not like it. So in argument to Rachel comment that post says they can make a dam, they only have to charge enough that people wont agree with it.


The fair thing is for the government as advocates of the people to manage such things, and any loss of efficiency is better then the skimming from monopoly control over some sector like energy. If there were many dams, and it was regulated to maintain competition, and lowest possible price, it could work, but I am skeptical due to price fixing in energy sectors for years.

The unfair humorous thing, is to let them build it and nationalize it.



Actually all of the US problems could be solved by tariffs that would create a huge investment in production again, and nationalizing and seizing of consolidated wealth to be used for areas that society needs investment in to create jobs and offer needed services that are not profitable.

The world problems would be solved by that actually. It would help localize trade, and lower transport costs, it would generate production in every area, and more employment that could take care of basic needs.

Although they want population reduction, not happy people having families, so poverty is not a big issue with many groups.

[eppur_se_muova]

2. BOO F***ING HISS !! nt

[enough]

5. k&r (nt)

[GliderGuider]

6. I wonder who is the "Economic Hit-Man" that is behind this?

I smell the stink of the international financial power elite and their mercenaries. I hope the Chilean people create a massive crisis for Pinera.