Part 2 of 4
Social Missions
Are what Chavez considers the core of “the strategic offensive to reduce poverty” but that “Those who watch from the distance should understand that the Bolivarian Missions are not charity programmes”
The aim is to empower the poor and at the same time create the structural conditions where participatory democracy can grow.
The Educational Missions
These educational programmes which take those whom the previous system failed from the very basics to (if they choose university) In a country where in the 1990's 8 out 10 children failed to complete their secondary education.
Mission Robinson
based on a Cuban audiovisual system (called Yo Si Puedo) which helps teach how to read and write in 7 weeks.
Robinson 2 builds on this to continue studies up to 6th grade and includes English, maths etc.
Mission Ribas allows adults to complete their secondary education and offers the prospect of entry into higher education.
Mission Sucre
Allows entry to a college education to those who have traditionally been excluded from further education, but who through the skills gained in the missions have reached the standard required.
Since its introduction the educational missions through its 100,000 volunteers have taught 1.4 million adults to read and write, leading to the official elimination of illiteracy (according to the UN) and more than 3000 new schools have been built.
School attendance has increased by 25% and 1 million adults have returned to and graduated from high school.
Health
The Majority of the people in the barrios have traditionally not had access to a doctor. Traditionally Doctors have come from the middle-class, with access to medical school restricted. Culturally these Doctors have tended to work in private practice.
Barrio Adentro (inside the neighbourhood) was begun as a project in 2003 with the aim of providing all Venezuelans with access to high quality health services. It provides free medical treatment and health education in poor neighbourhoods. More than 4400 community health clinics have been set up offering free essential medicines.
Since its inception postnatal mortality rates have decreased by 38%.
The programme is primarily staffed by Doctors and nurses from Cuba, but this is gradually changing. Venezuelans benefiting from the reforms in Education and health are being trained as nurses and doctors (and assisting the Cuban doctors as students).
A new Latin American Medical School has been set up in Bolivar state (south east) that will train doctors for free not just from Venezuela but from all over Latin America.
Trade Unions
During the visit meetings were held with the UNT, SITRASALUD, Educadores Bolivarianos.
SITRASALUD has 20 branches in Caracas and they were interested in learning about the internal democracy of British trade unions and particularly that of UNISON. They were also interested in the Health service in Britain.
The teachers union Educadores Bolivarianos were a much more overtly revolutionary union, and as such was not open to all teachers, only those who shared their revolutionary position.
Their national co-ordinator Orlando Perez having spoken out against the threat posed by Para-military groups was now under police protection. (On May Day we marched with the Teachers union and were persuaded that the 2 police cyclists who followed us was for our benefit!). Para-military groups became a concern last year when a group from Colombia crossed the border. Concern is now growing that the increasing Para-military activity is an attempt to destabilise the country.
We also met the UNT Caracas district leadership. The head of both SITRASALUD and the UNT is Tony Navas. They spoke of their aim to increase democracy within the union movement, but at the same time were not looking to replace the CTV.
The UNT was formed in 2003 out of widespread worker opposition to the undemocratic control of workers by the CTV, the traditional union federation. Further discussion took place on the joint democracies of our relevant trade union, particularly around the differing roles of the TUC and the UNT.
It was agreed that there should be further discussion on agreeing a formal twinning arrangement between UNT in Caracas and West Midlands UNISON and that our shared commitment to a free national health service should be recognised in a joint statement.
Dave Auger,
West Midlands UNISON
International Officer
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