Monday, April 16, 2007 Seares: Putting out the lamps By Pachico A. Seares News Sense
“Put out the light, and then put out the light.”-— Othello (V,ii,7)
LIGHT-GIVER and light-taker Veco is pretty sure about its business. It connects and disconnects, switches on and off, controlling light and darkness in people’s homes, offices, parks, or streets.
Veco is resolute and brisk about giving and taking away light.
No slowing down to think, as Othello, with a lantern at Desdemonia’s bedside, resolving to murder her, thought aloud: He could relight the lantern but once she was dead, “I know not where is that Promethean heat/that can thy light relume.”
Veco doesn’t have that problem. The threat of light being denied or taken away is why its customers pay up promptly.
Stealing fire
People dread a Veco warning more than a court subpoena. Power over light and darkness is frightening, which Prometheus must have in mind in stealing fire from heaven.
The contractor who rushed to pay for the streetlamps’ light during the summit lost zest to pay more. Scandal over alleged overpricing and the freeze order on contract money must have upset their priorities.
Thus, unpaid Veco cut off supply to the street lamps starting 5 p.m. last Friday.
Other than boosting Veco profits, there’s another upside: People see less, at least at night, of an infamous testament to corruption.
Yet, there’s the thought that after having spent a large fortune on the lamps, the public can still make use of them.
For one, they make the route to Cebu’s hotels and restaurants bright and pretty. For another, they’re a graphic and visible reminder for dishonest officials to be more deft and less greedy.
