THE VENEZUELAN TELEPHONE COMPANY, UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT.

Telephone company Station in Caracas, now under Chavez's management.

This is a public telephone station in Catia, western Caracas. When I was born in this area of the city, 74 years ago, it looked poor but it was not in ruins. There is a fundamental difference between poverty and neglect. Having received almost $300 billion in oil income Hugo Chavez has managed to turn poverty into neglect. The country looks run down while Londoners and Bostonians enjoy his prodigality. Even Citgo seems to have been contaminated by his attitude of neglect.

Management can make or break a company or a country. The management skills of Chavez, before getting to the presidency, had been limited o running a military canteen, where he kept track of how many beers and plates of french fries were being consumed by his customers. The tables were greasy and the light bulbs needed replacement but he did not seem to care. Today he is handling billions of dollars with the same attitude of who gives a damn. Distributing money to other countries, govermnments and mercenaries is easy to do and buys him temporary friends. But the reality of Venezuela is is what you see and what I will keep showing in my blog.