PLAN TO BRING INTERNET TO POOR NEIGHBORHOODS IN CHILE PDF Print
Tuesday, 23 October 2007
Chile’s Housing Ministry and Sub Secretary of Telecommunications recently disclosed a joint plan to bring cyber cafes to 200 impoverished urban neighborhoods nationwide. This initiative is part of the Housing Ministry’s urban renewal plan called, “I Love My Neighborhood.” “This program aims to bring Internet to urban locations which are considered vulnerable and also have little or no access to technology. In other words, they are not only vulnerable socially, but they also suffer from technological inequality,” Claudia Pinto, the director of “I Love My Neighborhood,” told the Santiago Times.
The “I Love My Neighborhood” program aims to improve run-down inner city neighborhoods by upgrading essential infrastructure and strengthening neighbor participation. In order to be selected, the districts must have at least 70,000 inhabitants and be located in a city which has at least 100,000 residents. Furthermore, 10 percent of the neighborhood population must be classified as “poor.”
As part of this joint plan, government officials will bring both wireless and WI-FI to each of the urban areas. All neighborhoods will receive a cyber center and computer classes geared for community members.
Pinto disclosed that, “the Housing Ministry will construct the actual cyber café structures. The construction may consist of improving existing community structures or putting up entirely new buildings. Meanwhile, the Undersecretary of Telecommunications will be in charge of bringing the Internet technology and also computer classes (…) the Undersecretary will also obtain subsidies so that residents pay less than the market rate.”
This initiative showcases growing interest by government leaders to wire all sectors of society to the Internet. Just last week, Party For Democracy (PPD) President Sergio Bitar proposed connecting all of Chile’s households to the Internet by as early as 2010. The two initiatives demonstrate the Internet’s growing presence in Chile, which is arguably becoming Latin America’s most wired country.
Bitar told The Santiago Times that it is important that Chile connects all its citizens to the Internet, “for the same reason why it was so important to bring electricity to Chilean households at the start of the 20th century. It is essential if this country wants to develop.”
Bitar also believes bringing the Internet to poor families represents a golden opportunity for the government to fight social exclusion and inequality.
“Internet still has to become an even greater priority for the government. The government needs to see that this initiative would contribute to other areas, including education, business, and Chilean culture. The government should also view this initiative as a way to reduce social exclusion and the country’s inequality” (ST, Oct. 22).
