Spend on the past too

THE EDITOR: Government spending is not exactly a zero-sum game. It is not as if we maintain heritage buildings so we cannot provide car-parking facilities at public hospitals. Whether money is tight or we are operating in times of plenty, wise allocation of resources and responsible spending are key to the effective running of a country.

Each government inherits assets, unfinished projects and the country's public stock, some of which bring in an income but the majority of which needs to be appropriately managed, preserved and sometimes upgraded. The first duty of a government, I posit, is to be a good steward of what is placed in their hands.

The last government walked into office just as a multi-storey administrative complex was being completed on Chancery Lane, San Fernando. This was meant to consolidate all government services in San Fernando in one place, saving millions per year on rent and bringing people back into the city centre to rejuvenate High Street. A modern library was carded for the top floor and hundreds of parking spaces would have been made available at basement level.

Around this time doctors began to clamour for an extension of the San Fernando General Hospital. They first set their eyes on the Naparima Bowl, which is currently still in use for a myriad of cultural events. The drama fraternity kicked up a fuss and this idea was abandoned. They then turned to the administrative complex next door. Because they had the ear of a malleable prime minister, and because no San Fernandian bothered to speak out, not  even the business community who stood to lose the most, this idea was adopted.

The government of the day put the finishing touches on the building, our tallest in San Fernando, and it became a "Teaching Hospital". In order to convert this edifice from what it was intended to a hospital, it is rumoured that $1 billion was spent. Fast forward to 2019. A new government spends some millions of dollars on several heritage buildings and to complete unfinished projects. By all reports contracts were properly tendered and costs minimised. This was supposedly a one-time large spending to restore and complete mega-assets. Was it worth it?

My question is: Were our representatives good stewards, not just of the falling-down buildings that were placed into their hands, but also of the country's monetary resources? Did they spend wisely and responsibly? Did they manage and preserve adequately? Did they even upgrade well? What do we have to show for their input and choices? Do we have something precious that, with the right care, will last us and be cherished for generations? Has our stock increased in value? In my opinion the answer is, Yes. On all counts.

This government had a duty to ensure that the country's stock did not fall apart to the point of no return on their watch, and also that they indeed maximised every good resource put into their hands. As faithful stewards in these necessary things then, we can expect that they would be faithful when God gives them authority over greater resources.

JOANNE K JOSEPH

San Fernando