Just caught this on NewsMax,

Fearing Y2K Panic, Venezuela Hires Psychiatrists 1.07 a.m. ET (507 GMT) June 22, 1999 NEW YORK  Recession-hit Venezuela, fearing the Year 2000 computer bug could spark public panic, has hired psychiatrists to design Y2K policy to fit the Latin American nation's "mentality,'' a senior government official said Monday. Withdrawing a little cash, and having some canned food on hand might come in handy if Year 2000 computer glitches cause temporary disruptions in oil-dependent Venezuela, Hugo Castellanos, head of the government's Year 2000 task force, told a summit co-sponsored by the United Nations.

But Venezuelans are already jumpy about their financial situation, and any official suggestion of withdrawals would have people running for the banks, Castellanos said.

"We are talking to psychologists and psychiatrists about how to reach the people in the right way,'' Castellanos told guests at the event also sponsored by The Freedom Forum, a U.S. media think tank.

"If we say you have to have food and cash at home, we're sure that banks would go bankrupt and food could disappear,'' he added.''

White House Y2K czar John Koskinen suggested people in the United States stash cash and food for two to three days in case of possible Y2K-related disruptions.

Castellanos said that would not work in Venezuela.

"Our mentality is different to the United States,'' he said.

The previous Venezuelan government, which left office in February, made absolutely no preparations to get computers ready to handle Year 2000 dates, Presidential Chief of Staff Alfredo Pena recently said. That left Venezuela with 10 months to do what the much larger United States did in ten years.

Castellanos said Venezuela is now making record speed  its key oil sector is now just 45 days from having all critical computers Year 2000 ready and the electricity sector is nearly 80 percent compliant.

But doubts still cloud government policy.

"We don't know how to explain to the larger population what's going happen,'' said Castellanos. "Because we don't know what's going to happen.

end snip

"We don't know how to explain,, we don't know what's going to happen."

ummm, just a bump in the road will do.

"That left Venezuela with 10 months to do what the much larger United States did in ten years."

reality check here folks.

"also sponsored by The Freedom Forum, a U.S. media think tank"

hope you all didn't miss that.

-- R. Wright (blaklodg@hotmail.com), June 23, 1999

Answers

Sorry everyone, I just saw the post at bottom of page.

-- R. Wright (blaklodg@hotmail.com), June 24, 1999.

No problem. The "media" could *certainly* use a think tank or several, they obviously aren't able to think for themselves.

-- Will continue (farming@home.com), June 24, 1999.