Peru continues to thrive during the global economic recession, and it’s the only country in the Americas that reported an 8% economic growth rate last year. While Gartner selected them as one of Latin America’s 8 best outsourcing markets, the country remains off the AT Kearney radar. This lack of publicity may provide opportunities for cost benefits; combining that with high unemployment and a large workforce makes skilled tech workers available at a very low cost. Richard Neff, founder of Neff Law Firm, says that despite strong laws for personal and data protection, Peru has problems enforcing them. According to Neff, “Firstly there are limited resources, and secondly the judicial system is slow, inefficient and corrupt.” Peru also lacks in the area of English proficiency, so most thriving BPO and call centers serve the US Hispanic population, where the Peruvian accent allows for clearer Spanish communication. Google Peru began operations last year and acknowledges the great IT potential of Peru’s population. Other noteworthy US companies that have acquired operations in Peru include IBM, HP, Microsoft, AT&T, Cisco, Citigroup, Verizon, Oracle, and JP Morgan. | "Random Hacks of Kindness" in Latin AmericaRandom Hacks of Kindness, a global community of computer experts that develop practial open technology for social good, is now partnering with Fundación Ciudadano Inteligente (The Smart Citizen Foundation) to support their efforts in Latin America. Based in Santiago, Chile, Fundación Ciudadano Inteligente was founded with the goal to promote transparency. FCI encourages citizens to utilize information and communication technologies to join the organization's cause and networks with organizations that work in themes of transparency, technology, and social good throughout Latin America. Random Hacks of Kindness has been responsible for sharing open-source technologies mostly related to water management: flood warning systems, supply-demand water planning, maximized utilization of non-potable water for crop irrigation systems, ect. In one particular project, these technological tools are meeting the tangible needs of the citizens of Peru. In Peru, water resources management is a major issue. Over 98% of the country's annual renewable water resources is available east of the Andes Mountains, in the Amazon region. This leaves the coastal area of Peru, home to most of the major Peruvian economic activity and half of the country's population, with less than 1.8% of the national freshwater renewable resources. RHoK is working to create a crowdsourced bank of hydrology maps online that will enable more efficient water usage and planning, thus stopping the increasing toll that economic and population growth take on the inaccessible water resources. The Developing Latin America event will bring together developers, designers, and members of civil society from 6 Latin American countries to find innovative technological solutions for the social good of their country and region. All 6 event locations will participate in the upcoming RHoK Global December 2011 event where they will have an opportunity to collaborate with peers around the world. Solutions in Latin America: Buenos Aires, Argentina Lima, Perú Mexico City, México Montevideo, Uruguay Rio de Janiero, Brasil Santiago, Chile The sharing of open source technologies like the ones being utilized by RHoK and FCI offer the promise of rapid development in these areas for the true benefit of society, allowing people's needs for water to be met more efficiently. Will Peru's New President Stifle Economic Growth?On June 5, Ollanta Humala, an ex-army lieutenant with no political background, defeated Keiko Fujimori in the Peruvian presidential race. The election makes for an interesting story, and his victory comes partly from strategy and partly from tremendous luck... since the centrist vote split evenly between three candidates, Humala's only competition in the run-off election was Ms. Fujimori. Some may recall that her father, Alberto Fujimori, set in place the free market reforms that caused Peru's economic boom. Unfortunately, he also ruled as a corrupt autocrat who is now serving 25 years in prison for human rights abuses and corrupt acts committed during his time as president. Because of this, Humala got votes from citizens that may have been fundamentally opposed to his political stance but couldn't bring themselves to support the Fujimori family. To appeal to the masses during the run-off, Humala shifted his policies from left to center and switched his allegiances from Venezuelan nationalist Hugo Chavez to Brazil's former social democrat president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. He even brought in political advisers from Brazil’s ruling Workers’ Party. But in the campaign for the first round of the election, on April 10th, he was still proposing a “nationalist” economic policy and pledged to unpick contracts that have brought private investment in mining, gas and infrastructure. Needless to say, Peruvians are wondering where their new president's loyalties truly lie. The uncertainty surrounding the President Elect's policy intentions has created quite a mess for Peru. The day after the election, Lima's stock market dropped 12.5%, the largest daily fall in the country's history, and the shares of many companies with stock in Peru posted significant losses as well. Most of the losses were quickly recuperated, but the potential changes to Peru's financial and social policies have people worried that the country's economic boom might be coming to an end. Read it here at The Economist.
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