OPINION: A mayor's dream world

The mayor of the district of Panama presented a budget in which there are contemplated investments in works that would be paid for with funds from the decentralization program. The Finance Commission of the Municipal Council demanded the minutes of the citizen consultations that support these works. They will have learned something from the beach revitalization project, the suspension of which was ordered by the Court since a citizen consultation was not held, as required by the Decentralization Law. In other words, the projects devised must be endorsed by the citizens. The mayor has not delivered the required minutes, which would diminish the legitimacy of his works. It is time that you understand that decentralization funds are not there to satisfy whims, even if your intentions are good. The population that presumably will benefit must not only be aware but must agree to the works. And that is not achieved by bringing together 10 people from a community that has 10,000 or 20,000 inhabitants. The consultations must be extensive and with sufficient time, in order to plan the works. It really is a shame to waste opportunities to solve problems, simply by doing what you want. – LA PRENSA, Nov. 28