Saturday, June 28, 2008 Speak out: Junkets and Talisay City officials By Art E. Canares
MAYOR Socrates “Soc” Fernandez said that the City of Talisay has plenty of cash.
The statement was made in defense of city officials who were loudly criticized for embarking on a “lakbay aral” that incurred huge expenses.
The good mayor was caught with his pants down; nevertheless, he succeeded in providing a smokescreen to dissuade the taxpayers’ growing curiosity on how their money was spent and why.
To claim that government coffers are awash with cash is not an appropriate reason to justify a junket.
Was it really that necessary?
Why do they have to travel elsewhere when they can learn more than enough lessons on good governance and economy at their very own backyard?
What ails the taxpayers most is the grim reality that until now the dilapidated public market and its adjuncts in the poblacion have been neglected for unknown reasons.
It may cost only a few thousand pesos to build a decent public bath or toilet but city officials preferred self-endeavors rather than public welfare.
If it is true that the City Government of Talisay has plenty of money, then let the people feel it through visible projects to erase doubts that there was misuse of public funds.
