In the world of enterprises the mission defines the orientation and basic goal that constitutes the ultimate object of the operation. In the religious world, the initiatives undertaken in order to propagate the faith have been termed missions, while diplomatic missions deal with the representation of countries and their interests. In Venezuela, the government has launched in recent years a number of programs oriented to the solution of specific social problems, under the name of missions. Usually with a proper name, missions have been established to help feed the poor, to educate those who have not completed schooling, to provide health services, to sustain the indigents, and to fulfill other goals. This year, without a proper name, the "misión ciencia" was launched (see the Town Meeting in Interciencia 31(9): 628-631). The common denominator seems to be that of programs to help and cover the needs of the lower strata of society, very well provided with funding but free of the usual controls to which governmental programs are subjected by organisms different to those that execute them.

In the case of the science mission which, by the way, was not included in the National Plan for Science, Technology and Innovation 2005-2030, the goals are rather general and several thematic areas are considered. The scientific community awaits for its implementation, as it is still in the preparatory stages. The weight ascribed to programs that have been carried out to date with public funding in the science and technology sector remains to be seen. Many fear that they will be affected in good measure, as the expected increments of the regular budget could be curtailed.

Also in 2006, in Venezuela a new Law of Science, Technology and Innovation entered in force, similar to other laws that exist in several countries of the region and which has the character of an Organic Law, which places it at a high level, immediately below that of the National Constitution.

Two are the most outstanding characteristics of this new Law. On the one hand, it defines the National Plan and attempts to define an all-encompassing entity denominated National System of Science, Technology and Innovation. On the other hand, it stipulates substantial contributions of a mandatory nature by large enterprises. Being determined as a percentage of gross revenues of such enterprises, even though in Venezuela a large part of the economy is of informal character, these contributions should result in a significant increment of the investment in science and technology taking place in the country, where the participation of the private sector of the economy has been very meager to date, achieving tangible results in a very few cases.

The very recent start of the operation of both the mission and the new law does not allow quantifying their effects, foreseeable as important ones. It is yet to be seen whether these new initiatives will also receive the abundant criticisms made to the handling of funds by other undertakings equally lacking budgetary controls and of a highly discretional nature on the part of their administrators and responsible functionaries.

Seen exclusively from a positive point of view, both initiatives represent substantial injections of resources to the sector, whose response capacity and effectiveness will be on trial. The experience of other countries in the execution of similar projects will be an important input for the Venezuelan authorities and scientific community. In the same manner, the experience gathered in this country will be of value for the other countries in the region. The development of our nations, in the realm of science and technology or in any other, requires substantial investment, generally well above the budgetary possibilities of the States.

Miguel Laufer, Director