Money down the drain

As fast as this government pours the taxpayers" money into the "national economy' bucket, it leaks out of the bottom even faster through a big hole of bad management.

The problems arise from the inability of the ministers to lead with knowledge and expertise, and from total lack of direction.

Take the problems of the Ministry of Rural Affairs. The estimated budget for the running of the abbatoir this year just does not correspond to the actual running costs.

Funds are already running out when we're still in April. How can a minister and a parliamentary secretary be so incompetent? And how can they expect their loyal staff to operate under such pressures?

Now other departments will have to make up for the lack of funds. This is because tests for BSC and residue levels on local meat produce, and other work, such as the mobile incinerator, would have to be continued.

It is simply unfair on the civil servants who wish to serve their country well when ministers and parliamentary secretaries are unable to understand and manage their responsibilities.

Take another example: There are no trained butchers to run the deboning plant when, according to government's plans, this had to start operating this month. This is also in spite of the fact that according to the previous minister, Ninu Zammit, trained butchers had been engaged for the purpose. They should have planned ahead for such simple matters.

Inspection points for food imports were supposed to generate enough funds to be self-financing. They have cost about Lm700,000 so far and it seems that they have only generated some Lm15,000. Apart from the extra bureaucracy involved, this also represents an additional cost to importers that is passed on as price rises to consumers.

The ministry is currently spending taxpayers' money on advertisements telling the people to consume local produce, especially fresh chicken. Yet hospitals are busy buying imported frozen chicken for patients and the elderly. Why is there no coordination, no exchange of information, no cross reference? Why should patients and the elderly be fed on lower standard food?

If the government is unable to find a solution to this matter, I am prepared to arrange a meeting for local producers and the hospitals in a bid to find a way to use fresh chicken meat in hospitals.

I am prepared to offer my services to help the minister and parliamentary secretary deal with the responsibilities they seem unable to understand. If this matter is not tackled properly, taxpayers' money will continue to be wasted.

Another matter that needs to be looked into is that over the importation of low quality beef. As bull meat is too expensive, we are now importing cow meat. In fact there has been a drop of more than 50 per cent in beef and lamb imports. Does this represent a better quality of life?

Mr Farrugia is Opposition spokesman for agriculture, fisheries and rural development.