Accountability (vs. "relaxa e morra")

I found a new, very insightful and interesting blog from Lucia Hippolito. Cientista política, historiadora e jornalista, especialista em eleições, partidos políticos e Estado brasileiro.

http://www.luciahippolito.globolog.com.br/

She also commented on the fact of lack of accountability across Brasil. With the following main observations through the text:

• Accountability contains the idea that authority is a public servant. Elected or not, it has to be accountability for its actions to society.
• Less stage and more debate, less uprisings and more interviews, less "law by ministry" (do other countries have this even?) and more attendance to the Congress.

Well... Accountability. Such a great word, and there is no portuguese translation! (ironic?)

When we look at the disaster of the airplane in São Paulo, some important "political processes" immediately kicked in. Nope. Not what you expect. Immediate investigations were ordered to try to blame it on the runway, but overall, the political world kept rather quite. The president has, unfortunately, not appeared on television in the last 72 hrs to send his condolences and show his commitment and compassion. Bit disappointing.

In February 2007, the airport was closed for 737, Fokker 100 (3 large aircraft visiting the airport) due to concerns about safety. The main concern of safety is the short runway of 1.9 km, which is too short for larger aircraft too land in certain conditions. Some days later however, this closure ruling was overruled by an appeal, stating that the safety considerations to be taken into account did not outweigh the economic ramifications that would ensue due to airport closure. So basically all the people in the jet died because of money and we just found out the exact numeric value that the Infraero, ANAC, government, Justice have considered "equals" human life.

The Airbus A320 is able to land on the runway of that length in dry weather conditions. Not in wet weather conditions. There are accounts of the Airbus failing to engage the reverse thrust, as it happened in Warsaw and some other event (mysterious) in France some time later. In this case with SP, it appears that the airplane had problems with the reversor since the Friday before (which, ironically, was the 13th). According to TAM, this was not prohibitive to still using the airplane. I'll leave this to airplane experts to decide whether this is correct or not. The pilot attempted to take off again, (but very likely due to aircraft logic was unable to). At least someone is looking at flight deck automation problems.

There seems to be a strong will to make money in Brazil and this focus is costing lives of other people. Rather than complying with all standards, assume the responsibility beyond the will to make money, some people are playing russian roulette with other people's lives.

If there is no consequence this time around and the "guilt" remains in the middle as it has been the case for other incidents.... Brazil is hopeless. It will mean there is no accountability for Brazil, no conscience, no responsibility, and not even authority or leadership. If that be the case, get out while you can! Before you become another statistic.

On another note... the PanAm games are there. Millions spent in the Maracanã stadium on some silly sport events when the people outside the stadium are living in atrocious conditions. I'm saying this not to say... let's NOT have the panams... I'm saying this because the money spent on having the games, with the full entourage and so on, seems a bit much. The positive thing is that even the poor living on the famous slums hill can see the fireworks going off in several rounds during the opening concert. It was amazing and beautiful. That should make them at least slightly happier...? Or am I safe in assuming it makes them quite mad to see how money is being wasted on fireworks that could have been used to improve poor health-care or impossible sanitary conditions, or ... maybe... like... ending drugs and violence in Rio?

Ignorance abound! One day or another... Brazil will have to face its consequences. Or rather... the people will.

(image above courtesy Duke Chargista).