Colombia’s airports in ‘sorry state’: Air traffic controllers

[Judi Lynn]

Colombia’s airports in ‘sorry state’: Air traffic controllers
posted by Andrew Wight
Nov 18, 2013

The concerns voiced in the Colombian Senate last week about the poor conditions at several major Colombian airports are “true and disturbing,” according to the head of the Colombian Air Traffic Controllers Association.

“Many airports and aviation infrastructure in general in this country is in a sorry state and of great concern,” said Carlos Arturo Bermudez, President of the Colombian Association of Air Traffic Controllers, talking to Caracol Radio on Sunday.

He made his comments after Senator Carlos Ferro last week revealed photos and documents outlining the woeful state of some of Colombia’s airports.

The most disturbing report was that of a 26-foot (8 meter) hole in the runway of the Neiva airport in central Colombia, which makes it difficult for aircraft to stop. At the tourist hub of Santa Marta, the runway is allegedly so short that aircraft cannot brake normally.

More:
http://colombiareports.co/colombias-airports-dangerous-shape-air-traffic-controllers-association-senator/

[Peace Patriot]

1. $7 BILLION in U.S. "war on drugs" aid, and they couldn't fix the airports?

And that's just part of the billions of dollars in Pentagon, CIA, USAID, DEA, et al, farting around money in Colombia, mostly with the purpose of lining their pockets and also killing Colombians as prep for U.S. "free trade for the rich."

And they couldn't even repair some infrastructure that benefits the moneyed class, let alone feed the poor. Gawd.

Lot of lined pockets among the Colombian 1% as well. Like the rich in Venezuela, they don't really give a crap about their own country and would as soon live in Miami.

Between the corrupt, murderous, failed U.S. government policy in Latin America, and Latin America's homegrown fascists, it's a wonder that LatAm's poor have any chance at all, but amazingly they have created their own opportunities, leaders, policies and electoral victories in many countries--notably Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Nicaragua, currently, and Chile to be added to that list this year.

Just imagine if that $7 billion that we know about had been used for airports, roads, schools, medical clinics, community centers, parks, loans and grants to small farmers, aid for green agriculture, nutrition, housing, alternative energy and so much more that is needed. Instead, militarization and death! That is what U.S. policy is all about in LatAm--militarization and death. Such a tragedy and a horror!