NewsWhore
02-15-2008, 03:30 PM
Speaking during a round table discussion on "Budget 2008, an Instrument for Development or Political Patronage?" organized by the Foundation for Institutionalism and Justice (FINJUS) yesterday, the Deputy Minister of Economy, Guarocuya Felix said that the National Budget serves as an instrument for development but also offers lots of scope for political patronage. Felix says that this happens at both central government and municipal level, as reported in Hoy. He commented on the appointment of party members to the government payroll, and said the budget serves as a tool to secure political loyalty. "It is now in fashion to appoint party members and supporting members from other parties to government," he said during yesterday's discussion.
He mentioned the attractive perk of financing for luxury vehicles for people on the government payroll. As reported in Diario Libre, Felix criticized a government program that finances up to 80% of the cost of luxury vehicles costing up to US$145,000 for government officials. Recently, the Central Electoral Board held a tender for the purchase of luxury Land Cruiser jeeps.
He also criticized the fact that of every RD$1 received by municipal councils, RD$0.90 is paid out in wages, as well as the fact that city councilors are better paid than any deputy ministers while having many fewer commitments. The central government needs to set the guidelines for the use of budget funds, he said.
"There is no other more effective political tool in government than the allocation of resources," he said.
"We see how every year the budget approval process leaves citizens feeling discouraged when the deadlines for the presentation of the budget are violated," he mentioned. This year the budget was sent to Congress in Christmas week and rushed through by the PLD majority Congress.
Round table moderator Servio Tulio Castanos Guzman, executive vice president of the Fundacion Institutionalidad y Justicia (Finjus), said that the budget needed to target social welfare and economic development, not political patronage.
Jose Rijo, another speaker during the event, said that the 2008 budget was prepared as it has always been: seeking to respond to circumstances, not the country's fundamental problems. He said that this is evidenced by the fact there are no increases in allocations for health and education. Rijo is coordinator of a United Nations Development Program project for the modernization and institutional strengthening of the Chamber of Deputies. He said that in 2007, the Ministry of Education received 11.3% of the budget, while this year it will only receive 10.4%. He said that in relation to the GDP, the education allocation is well below the 4% that is required by law.
Rijo said that most public resources are allocated to works that even though they may get started are not duly contracted. He said that their implementation depended on Presidential discretion, which fosters clientelism.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#3)
He mentioned the attractive perk of financing for luxury vehicles for people on the government payroll. As reported in Diario Libre, Felix criticized a government program that finances up to 80% of the cost of luxury vehicles costing up to US$145,000 for government officials. Recently, the Central Electoral Board held a tender for the purchase of luxury Land Cruiser jeeps.
He also criticized the fact that of every RD$1 received by municipal councils, RD$0.90 is paid out in wages, as well as the fact that city councilors are better paid than any deputy ministers while having many fewer commitments. The central government needs to set the guidelines for the use of budget funds, he said.
"There is no other more effective political tool in government than the allocation of resources," he said.
"We see how every year the budget approval process leaves citizens feeling discouraged when the deadlines for the presentation of the budget are violated," he mentioned. This year the budget was sent to Congress in Christmas week and rushed through by the PLD majority Congress.
Round table moderator Servio Tulio Castanos Guzman, executive vice president of the Fundacion Institutionalidad y Justicia (Finjus), said that the budget needed to target social welfare and economic development, not political patronage.
Jose Rijo, another speaker during the event, said that the 2008 budget was prepared as it has always been: seeking to respond to circumstances, not the country's fundamental problems. He said that this is evidenced by the fact there are no increases in allocations for health and education. Rijo is coordinator of a United Nations Development Program project for the modernization and institutional strengthening of the Chamber of Deputies. He said that in 2007, the Ministry of Education received 11.3% of the budget, while this year it will only receive 10.4%. He said that in relation to the GDP, the education allocation is well below the 4% that is required by law.
Rijo said that most public resources are allocated to works that even though they may get started are not duly contracted. He said that their implementation depended on Presidential discretion, which fosters clientelism.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#3)