Are we using mobile phones in an effective way? There are countries in Central America that started using their cellular phones like credit/debit cards. That tool was built to support SMEs and those micro informal entrepreneurs that can not access regular banking alternatives to credit and financing.

Of an estimated population of 10.4 million people, there is registry 7.3 million cell phone users in Bolivia (as of February 2011); so it is roughly 70% of potential users on other-than-usual services through this industry. Marketing, not spam; credit; purchasing are few opportunities. If you are out there and know more about these alternatives, please write or give us links. So Bolivia can use this tool more efficiently.

On another subject, yesterday, a group of private mining workers stated that they oppose government’s idea to “nationalize” those mining operations (Glencore, et al). The government stated that on May 1^st which is Labor Day, and under this government a special opportunity to show their interest on gaining management control over certain industries. If the former portion of this post was positive, this is certainly a negative one. Despite government’s attempts to bring over foreign investment, who would come if such signals are on the air? Private capitals do hope for clear rules to invest; there are tremendous competitions over those capitals worldwide and certainly Bolivia was very seldom, in its life, a nice alternative. This government, as strong as it is, could change those perceptions easily.

Remember an earlier post on vice-president accusations on who the responsible party was of the last ten days of turmoil? Carlos Valverde on his radio program today mentioned that the unions accepted to meet at the vice-presidency office, but without the vice-president. That was a condition for dialogue. Now, that the conflict is over, it is surprising to see the vice-president spending over were 46 minutes of press conference trying to portrait those union leaders as the losers of this issue.

There has been a clear loser on all of this, Bolivia. Our image was affected, our production, our education, our ill people and our perception that something really needs to change to move forward.