NMI's serious financial woes

The secretary of finance has warned lawmakers against appropriating unobligated funds or what appears to be surplus money of years past. Such warning was issued given the tendency to splurge in an election year against the tide of receding resources in the local treasury.

Lest we forget, the local coffer is unusually empty to the extent it is incapable of meeting the biweekly public sector payroll of $600,000 per hour since last December. As such, this is one time when frugality and an ultra-sense of responsibility must dictate how scarce public funds are spent strictly on basic necessities.

Understandably, this is the midterm election and politicians want to show their constituencies some performance record. Equally, however, we’re sure they too understand the dilemma politicians face in the midst of a severe regional crisis that has assaulted the health of the private sector who contributes large sums of money in taxes to the local treasury. Such contribution has contracted since mid-1997.

To demonstrate to the electorate substantive efforts in dealing with the deepening crisis, you can begin by eliminating the fleet of luxury government cars that parade the streets daily. This item alone can net the local government some $1.4 million for education, health and public safety. Freeze all government-sponsored conferences and travel abroad until there in fact emerge real economic recovery.

As the crisis deepens, it is imperative that we review whether the taxpayers must be forced to continue paying for an expensive bicameral over a unicameral legislative system. We can ask the US Congress to repeal the Covenant provision on a bicameral legislative body. In fact, it’s time we turn the legislature into a part-time profession so that all can work and earn their dues like every hardworking employee in the private sector. It grants politicians a constant check with reality.

These are lean times and every public official must put his mouth where his money is, so to speak. We can’t perpetuate hypocrisy on an issue that is factually a heavy burden on taxpayers. Each taxpayer deserves a break especially at a time when there’s a serious threat to jobs creation in the private sector. It’s both hands now and the public sector must also show taxpayers that in fact accountability is exercised to the hilt in the disposition of their hard earned income. In other words, we must learn to live with less for more. Si Yuus Maase`!