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Peru wants to erradicate lateness

13:39 H | Topics: Culture - Peru

The Peruvian government is launching a campaign to do away with lateness, which, according to many Peruvians, is the social ill that holds this South American country back. 91% of Lima residents support the initiative, called Perú: La hora sin demora, which will launch on March 1st by having the entire country synchronize its clocks with the official time of the Peruvian Marines.

The idea of encouraging punctuality -- which the government is calling "a civic virtue that represents respect for the other person's time and there for respect for the other person" -- was proposed by a group within Peru's Consejo de Ministros and made up of luminaries and intellectuals called "El Grupo del Deber" which, according to their website, looks to promote "the return of civic values" in Peruvian society.

How will punctuality be enforced? First, the Peruvian government says it will lead by example, and a spokeperson from Peruvian Workers Confederation is demanding that it keep its promise:

"We understand that punctuality is not only arriving early, but also living up to commitments and doing the work that is entrusted us, and that is why we are asking that the government be the first to begin this commitment."

The Peruvian governments says that there will be sanctions on institutions and companies showing impunctuality, as well as rewards and incentives to those who "keep the promise".

Hopefully this idea will spread not only throughout Peru, but into the rest of Latin America, because anyone who has spent any time in Latin America (or Spain) knows that this is not just a Peruvian problem.

Via / El Pais and ElComercioPeru

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