I read Sivia's last story in EMN. It seems some of the members in government don't really understand the concept of "investment". Anderson should be clear when he says Aurelian has good relations with the government. He should say "some" members of government. It seems there are some In Ecuador who believe mining is evil and the NGO"S have their ear. These are not sophistcated people when it comes to the relationship between investment and wealth creation. God help us all.

One of the main complaints I've heard from the political opposition is that too much power is being concentrated in the executive. While this is arguably a bad thing (see Venezuela) you can understand the motives behind it, and why it may be necessary in the short term. How many times now has Correa threatened to resign if he doesn't get the cooperation of the Assembly on key issues? The general impression I've received is that running this government is like herding cats. They are all over the map, everyone has their own particular interests and priorities which results in a general lack of focus on the larger, more pressing issues. Few seem to realize the fragile nature of their revolution, and that it could vanish as quickly as it appeared on the back of public discontent over a lack of social and economic progress.

It was after all a vote of protest, as much as a vote for change. The people of Ecuador took a leap into the unknown largely due to their disaffection with the former series of regimes. This fact should not be forgotten. Under these conditions, having attained office, the task of winning hearts and minds isn't over, it has only just begun. Such is the nature of revolutions - they are result driven, and if the goods aren't delivered the masses will express their dissatisfaction in the same manner which brought this government to power in in the first place. I'm convinced Correa recognizes this reality and has taken steps to consolidate his control and influence in key areas. The Assembly (to say nothing of the opposition) may not like it, but under the circumstances it is a necessary step.

The members of the Assembly may be very smart people as suggested to Ms Santacruz.... (and here I'll quote from her article)

"Ms. Romo, for instance, told me that investors are accustomed to this kind of risk and more, but she was speechless when I showed her how they are dumping their stocks. Ms. Romo, the smart, young and hard-working vice president of the mini-congress (or, Legislative Committee) asked me to inform my readers that the Assembly is full of smart people who know what they are doing. I really hope this is true and that Assembly members will be sensitive to the industry."

...however, anyone today who graduates with a higher degree that doesn't recognize that the learning process has only just begun, really hasn't grasped the concept of "university" or of "higher education." The point of a university is not to roll out smart people trained in narrow specialities who believe they actually know something (and by extension, everything) - the point is to prepare people to engage in critical thinking, which includes deep reflection on their own motives, beliefs and biases. Therefore, any graduate that hasn't recognized the importance of Epistemology as an overiding disipline, really hasn't received much of an education. They may know many facts, but to put them together in a cohesive framework and operationalize them in an effective way is a different matter altogether.

Therefore, just to say you have a lot of smart people on board doesn't really tell you much. I'm a smart person too, and can probably handle any one of their jobs, but if I lack the ability to reflect on my personal biases and correct my own mistakes, then the process degrades to one of simply forcing my will over the will of others. No foundation for critical debate and self-correction can be built under those conditions, no matter how smart you think you are. The Federal Reserve, for example, is chock-full of Harvard graduates, and look at the mess they've made.

Less hubris and more humility. These qualities are at least as important as intelligence and higher education, especially when the fate of a nation is in your hands.

ebear