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For the past two days, the world has been glued to the television, the internet and the radio following the rescue of the thirty-three miners trapped underground in a copper mine in Chile. Some fifteen hundred members of the media descended on a little known and uninhabited mountainous part of the world in order to cover the story. The entire event is something that will be indellibly etched in the memory of the world for nothing like it has ever happened before.
Having said that some interesting things happened.
The President of Chile went to the site of the rescue and stayed there the entire time personally greeting each rescued miner as he came to the surface. The President has to be commended for that. It shows the deep concern the President has for his people. So many others holding his position would just issue statements and at some later time pay "an official" visit to the rescued men which would of course, also be a photo opportunity. Also staying there the whole time greeting the miners and also deserving commendation were the Minister for Health and the Minister for Mines. The actions of these three men are some of the reasons for the out-pouring of patriotism displayed by the people of Chile at this time.
Several things stand out as we look back on this amazing event.
The first is the speed with which the Chilean Government dealt with the rescue once they realized that the miners were still alive. It would seem that plans were already in place for such an occasion. No committees, no discussions for a few days, no interminable statements from officials trying to get in the limelight as we in other countries are subjected to. Just a straight forward "get them out now" attitude. Other countries can learn a whole lot of lessons from Chile.
Another thing struck me as very interesting. In many other countries when we have seen accidents of any kind - including the oil rig disaster in the Gulf of Mexico this summer - we have been treated to endless details of the cost of dealing with the problem - on some occasions even before the rescue or whatever began. When the Chilean mining accident happened, the powers-that-be immediately set out three rescue plans - A, B and C and promptly proceeded to design and manufacture whatever machinery and technology was required to rescue the men. However, at no time was there any mention of cost. The word "dollar" was never mentioned. The key phrase was "get them out".
What a wonderful thing to see in this day and age when everything has a value and a dollar tag put on it. Where the lives of these men were concerned, the Chilean authorities made it clear that their lives were priceless. They must be rescued - that is the goal. The cost is not a matter for discussion.
Congratulations Chile and your people. Many other countires and people can learn a lot from you.
