Sign up with GoogleI agree. If there is a quantifiable way to determine the rand value of the benefits, then that exercise should be done in parallel to the cost calculations. However, things like job creation. People are going to be employed for a period of say 3 years building stadiums. Then what?
Goodwill will be damaged the day the first WC2010 tourist is raped and/or murdered. It will be gone if this happens a few times.
Infrastructure: the building of infrastructure is vital - and should be an ongoing task of a government, not a specially sanctioned task to host an event. In terms of the million dollar stadiums - how is that going to benefit the country once the event has come and gone? So the average soccer supporter will pay a higher ticket price to see his favourite team play on fancier turf?
Airport upgrades are also vital, but once again, at what cost? The current upgrades to JIA has been going on for years. It is already impossible (and costly) to find parking there. Dare I even mention that several hundred homes are about to be appropriated for expansion to the airport, at a so far unmentioned cost?
Education in terms of teaching people to run their own businesses? I don't follow - most of the businesses that will be established for the event will not be sustainable. Bed & breakfasts will disappear as quickly as they appeared, for example.
Telecoms improvement. I'm sorry but I strongly disagree here. For 10 years consumers have been ripped off severely by telecoms providers. Any new telecoms enhancements and improvements never affect the poor.
I understand your wish to be positive on this event. I am just saddened that a country as great as SA will attempt to host this event at the cost of its very own people.
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