Once a candidate in a crucial municipal election asked an advisor for advice. This, after an analysis of the degree of cynicism of the rulers, of the popular indifference, of the culture of collusion with the blatant theft of public goods, recommended that he use this slogan to guide the voter on the card: “Mark here “Does more and steals less.”
The refinement of the exercise of power has become so sophisticated that among people, with low political literacy and little understanding of what the common good is, or who are in a degree of economic need to cover their basic needs, two elementary axioms go unnoticed: that the money invested in the works does not belong to the official, but to the beneficiaries, and that the fact that the work or service is carried out does not mean that it was done with transparency, seeking the highest quality inputs for the least cost. It is likely that it was executed and no one had noticed how much each element, item, item or activity was worth, and between the opaque cracks a juicy bribe was awarded for the award.
It is important that the candidates clearly state their position on the corruption that has turned governments into a scene of bribery and personal enrichment. It is painful to appreciate how mayors and governors in our territories or senior national officials turn the exercise of a public office into an instrument to increase their real assets, indirectly as figureheads in companies, properties or assets, in the name of third parties.
If unholy activities of those in power are questioned and transcendental changes are proposed by potential successors in our municipalities or in the department, they must contain a genuine ideology and commitment against corruption. It’s not easy, we know, because campaigns are about winning and unfortunately in our country the biggest funders of campaigns are those gamblers, generally construction or service contractors, who hope in reciprocity that once their favorite reaches the top will accrue to them in benefits far superior to the ‘democratic investment’ they have made.
We do not know how much is spent on our campaigns and where the money comes from, if the reports to the electoral authority are complied with and if the limits are met; how far official money goes and private money begins.
We celebrate the pact that, at the request of organizations such as the Catholic Church and the Cesar Development and Peace Program, PDP, the candidates for the Governorship of Cesar and the Mayor of Valledupar signed for peace, hopefully extending to the other candidates in the department.
Life first. However, public money is sacred and a true pact for ethics must involve the commitment of the postulates before the people and before God, before their children and before those of others, that power will not be exercised to steal from the people. community, pretend that public resources are private, and hide selfish and exclusive personal interests.
The entry Steal and make was first published in El Pilón | News from Valledupar, El Vallenato and the Colombian Caribbean.
