Today, Colombian citizens received some much needed good news as it was announced that the urban unemployment rate, which is the main measure of joblessness for the country, dropped 1.5 percent from November 2009 to November 2010. The rate dropped from 12.1 percent to 10.6, even in the midst of one of the worst natural disasters in Colombia’s history.
President Juan Manuel Santos of Colombia has pledged to create 2.5 million jobs in the next five years. Santos says he and the government will do this by lightening labor laws and making it more affordable for smaller businesses to hire first-time workers.
Not only has the unemployment rate been shrinking in Colombia, but the economy as a whole has also been growing slowly but surely over the past year. In the third quarter, the economy grew 3.6 percent, causing the central bank to estimate a 4 percent growth for the year, compared to a meager 0.8 percent in all of 2009.
As we have discussed before, Colombia has been experiencing some very difficult times in the wake of massive flooding that has left over 300,000 Colombians homeless, over 200 dead, and affected over 2 million in some way. Stanacard is eager to help however we can, which is why we are giving away 60,000 FREE minutes to our customers who frequently call Colombia, so they can make sure to stay in touch with loved ones without worrying about the cost. Be sure to spread the word to any friends who have someone to call in Colombia – with our referral program you will both receive a bonus which means even more free minutes!
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