NewsWhore
02-14-2011, 01:30 PM
The quantity, not the quality of government spending has been increasing at a fast pace, writes Nelson A. Suarez in a report in Hoy. He says that public spending per capita was RD$1,418 in 1991. This increased to RD$32,137 in 2008, declined to RD$29,049 in 2009 and again increased to RD$30,914 in 2010.
In real terms, the increase was to RD$6,292 by 2008, declining slightly to RD$5,300 in 2009 and 2010.
He says that this extraordinary increase in government spending is not reflected in the government's provision of goods and services. The writer attributes this to the absence of systems to monitor the performance of government officials and public institutions. He says common sense indicates that despite the government having spent 23 times more money in 2010 than in 1991, the improvement in quantity and quality of services has no relation with this huge increase.
He says there is little efficiency but high costs of public services are behind new demands of citizens for a new culture in regards to managing government funds. Suarez adds that the focus here is on the bureaucracy marked by political patronage and favors. This is manifested in the violation of the most elemental technical, ethical, economic and financial standards in the application of government funds.
"Public funds are used to favor interest groups and those allied to the ruling political class rather than for social priorities".
He called for a new culture of government management that focuses on promoting citizen participation in public policies and decentralization. He says the present system is one of the supremacy of a system of parties and clientelism, which control the leading branches of government and can impose their criteria on creating policy and applying resources.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#9)
In real terms, the increase was to RD$6,292 by 2008, declining slightly to RD$5,300 in 2009 and 2010.
He says that this extraordinary increase in government spending is not reflected in the government's provision of goods and services. The writer attributes this to the absence of systems to monitor the performance of government officials and public institutions. He says common sense indicates that despite the government having spent 23 times more money in 2010 than in 1991, the improvement in quantity and quality of services has no relation with this huge increase.
He says there is little efficiency but high costs of public services are behind new demands of citizens for a new culture in regards to managing government funds. Suarez adds that the focus here is on the bureaucracy marked by political patronage and favors. This is manifested in the violation of the most elemental technical, ethical, economic and financial standards in the application of government funds.
"Public funds are used to favor interest groups and those allied to the ruling political class rather than for social priorities".
He called for a new culture of government management that focuses on promoting citizen participation in public policies and decentralization. He says the present system is one of the supremacy of a system of parties and clientelism, which control the leading branches of government and can impose their criteria on creating policy and applying resources.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#9)