Today journalist Vanessa Loaiza shined in La Nación with an article that occupied space even on the front page of the newspaper. The headline reads“Mayor of San José offered tramway without technical support“. And then adds in the first line: “In the heat of the electoral triumph, Mayor Johnny Araya offered an electric tramway in San José, but there are no recent technical studies to support a work that costs $10 million per km”.
And who said that in order to dream you need technical studies? How can he ignore that for something to happen, you first have to imagine it? And by the way, where did you get the figure of $10 million per km? I am impressed by the mental limitation that imprisons many people, and that is why some time ago I published in my blog and in La Nación itself an article entitled:“Even in crisis everything has been created twice“. Today I would have to add that also in the government, even in campaign and even in the mayor’s office: for something to happen someone has to dream it first. No ifs or buts, either we learn to think big or we will remain tiny.
I am glad that Johnny Araya is not letting himself be intimidated by the Costa Rican limitations or by the poor vision of many, and I invite him to also dream about the subway, the train, more parks, better public transportation, safe streets and so much more that is the responsibility of the Mayor of a city. Today’s report cites the absence of technical studies as a shortcoming. Personally, I think it misses the point and completely omits the relevance of his proposal and commitment.
We Costa Ricans already have to move forward in the midst of this pit of dysfunctionality. Costa Rica’s backwardness is a disgrace, especially in light of the advantages we have sadly underutilized. With the existing social capital, Costa Rica deserves a better present than the one we live in, and of course, a better future than the one we are apparently building.
From pura vida to todo tranquilo, today’s report is a pitiful demonstration of imaginative poverty. It reminds me of a phrase that recommends you not to dream small, or no one will follow you. It makes me think of the common myopia that moves people from facilitation to the contrarian, buts-filled state. In fact, some time ago I proposed eliminating the but and replacing it with and.
The Mayor of San Jose has 6 years ahead of him to realize this dream, as well as many others, even if he does not have the honor of inaugurating them. I trust he will, and as many of us must, I end here with a question: And how can I help?
