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Friday, July 28, 2006
Seares: Asean and red tape
By Pachico A. Seares
News Sense
President Arroyo in last Monday's Sona talked about cutting red tape in government, the promise that never fails to warm the heart of entrepreneurs (who find reducing cost of doing business always exciting, rivaled only by excessive golf and other vices).
Mrs. Arroyo also said the biggest red tape is an obsolete Constitution, a view the anti-Cha-cha lobby One Voice is raring to dispute with multimillion-peso propaganda.
This piece is not anywhere near the concern of business or the passion of Charter changers and defenders.
It is about red tape the Asean summit in December appears to have licked.
Magic wand
Clearly, the Asean summit has worked wonders. A sense of Asean "urgency and importance" seems to have knocked down bureaucracy's props.
Have you heard any public official or contractor gripe lately about red tape in any Asean project?
Wave the magic wand, Asean summit, and, lo and behold, the red tape crumbles.
Yet, as people cheer about completing preparations on time, they also worry about leakage of public funds.
If crooks manage to cheat despite the tough tedious obstacle course government contracts run, how much easier is it now with the humps virtually removed?
Eyes closed
Except losers in contract awards, everyone seems willing to close eyes to shortcuts being made for the summit.
The graft committed in Asean's name may not be known.
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (July 28, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here. |
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