Lucky Slum Dwellers

Governments everywhere are fond of building huge infrastructure projects that may or may not benefit citizens. 

But today, I am keen to share this colossal idea that from Colombia that is making a real difference to its people, more so the less privileged.

It is a godsend to at least 12,000 residents of Medellin's rough Comuna 12 neighborhood. These shanty town dwellers used to trek up and down steep slopes every day – which authorities say is the same as going up a 28-storey building. 

Not any more because the government have installed a giant outdoor escalator! And hey, according to UK’s The Sun, it cost only £4 million – which is really cheap for a government project. 

Malaysians will surely marvel at this austere pricing because we are known to spend RM1.95 million for one thousand racks to hold tourism pamphlets or RM1,950 per rack (Webpage

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/auditor-general-tourism-ministry-overpaid-rm270m-for-ads/, published October 24, 2011).

Photo: AFP

Image credit: http://news.yahoo.com/photos/colombian-city-gets-giant-outdoor-escalator-1324953638-slideshow/ 

Images credit: http://www.emirates247.com/offbeat/colombia-gets-giant-outdoor-escalator-2011-12-27-1.434701

Officials say the inhabitants of the Colombian slum will now take only six minutes instead of the 35-minute hike on foot up the hillside. 

Cesar Hernandez, head of projects for Medellin, said the electric stairway is divided into six sections and has a length of 384 meters (1,260 feet). 

Mayor Alonso Salazar described Comuna 13 as the city's district that has "suffered the greatest urban violence... but lately this has been receding and we hope this social package will help it move forward". 

Now if only Malaysia will learn from Colombia! 

I was at the Taman Indrahana Toastmasters meeting yesterday and the torrential downpour must have kept many members away because I only counted twenty of us that came. 

Still, as always it was a good meeting with Karen Cheah and Michael Kum slowly but steadily showing us their increasing confidence as competent speakers. Better still, they have the benefit of good evaluations from Dr. Devi Menon and Chrristine Ngiam respectively. Even Chan Siew Peng has shown good improvement as a Toastmaster-of-the-Evening. 

It is always heartening to see a Toastmasters club that are determined to show progress at every meeting! As for me, I did not undertake any role and I was content to sit quietly and listen to the speeches and evaluations.