MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Full professional Army for Chile in eight years

Chile will have totally professional Armed Forces, eliminating conscription, in eight years time according to a plan unveiled by President Michelle Bachelet.

The three pronged plan to reach that objective is based on the gradual incorporation of full time servicemen; cutting the number of compulsory recruits and improving work and living conditions for conscripts thus wooing them to become voluntary servicemen.

This year 500 additional professionals are currently under training and the number will be repeated annually until the "desirable" number has been reached. Income, housing and education conditions for conscripts will be considerably improved. President Bachelet announced that beginning this recruiting season, conscripts will be given a 50% monthly rise from 50 to 75 US dollars. Finally as voluntary registration increases, recruit numbers will fall "and in eight years we expect to have a fully professional Army".

Ms Bachelet a former Defence minister made the announcement during a visit to one of Santiago's main Army barracks accompanied by Defence minister Vivianne Blanlot and the Army Commander in Chief General Oscar Izuriet.

Underlining the benefits of modernization and professionalism President Bachelet said that "both in Chile and in the rest of the world there's no development without security and that is why we must keep a secure country".

Earlier in the day the Chilean media published a public opinion poll showing that a majority of Chileans approve the performance of President Bachelet in her first three weeks in office.

According to polling company Adimark, 56.2% approve, 39.2% were indifferent and 8.2% disapprove of Chile's first woman president performance. Support for the president is particularly strong among women, 57.9%, and the 18 to 35 age segment with 61.8%. Between 36 and 55 years, supports falls to 51.2% and above 55 to 45.7%. As to the opposition's performance, 35.8% disapprove, 35.2% approve and 29% did not answer. The poll also shows an overwhelming support for the previous administration under former president Ricardo Lagos, 78.4%.

Former conservative presidential candidate Esteban Piñera who lost to Ms Bachelet, said the interviews show the President is "enjoying a honey moon", and it is good that "citizens and rulers should enjoy such moments".

The random phone interviews were done at the end of March, including 508 women and 501 men above 18 in Chile's main cities with a plus/minus 3% error margin.