Skip to main content

Venezuela's Local Councils Experiment


Digg!
 Venezuela Lets Councils Bloom

Venezuela's recent experiment to allow local councils to take charge of community affairs is reminiscent of the Philippine Barangays. When the national government placed a lot of power in the hands of the local leaders, the idea is for the people in the locality to have sufficient power to resolve the affairs of the community.
"Thousands of councils have been founded nationwide, and they have made decisions on almost everything from trash collection to school construction."
There is a lot of wisdom in this program. However, since let Venezuela learn from some the experiences of the Filipinos:

1. The delegation of power should come with corresponding access/control over funding. Otherwise, the local communities will be become toothless tigers.

2. Local access to funds exposes the country to additional possible sources of corruption. Some of Venezuela's local councils are experiencing that, at this point.
"The councils have been buoyed by success stories in some neighborhoods and tarnished by cases of corruption and incompetence in others."
3. Giving power and prestige to the local councils will lead to an increased level of politicization in the lower levels. In the Philippines, the barangay elections has already become highly politicized.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

US PRESIDENTIAL CONVOYS

A columnist for a Philippine newspaper talks about the costs and massive preparations required by the US Secret Service whenever President Bush and other (US Presidents) travel outside of Washington DC. I remember watching a CNN report that showed how big a US presidential convoy is, compared to the two vehicle transport being used by Prime Minister Tony Blair of the UK.
10 comments
Read more

Land Reform: Land of Bondage Land of the Free

One of the most moving speeches that I've read. During grade school, this was the most often recited elocution piece in my school. Here it is, the text of Raul Manglapus' Land of Bondage, Land of the Free. Land of Bondage, Land of the Free By Raul Manglapus And yet, ladies and gentlemen, the tao is constitutionally free! No wonder, then, that the tao being a slave has acquired the habits of a slave. No wonder that after three centuries in chains, without freedom, without hope, he should lose the erect and fearless posture of a freeman, and become the bent, misshapen, indolent, vicious, pitiful thing that he is! Who dares accuse him now? Who dares rise up in judgement against this man, reduced to this subhuman level by three centuries of oppession? Ladies and gentlemen the tao does not come here tonight to be judged -- but to judge! Hear then his accusation and his sentence: I indict the Spanish encomendero for inventing taxes impossible to pay! I indict the usurer for s
35 comments
Read more

DOHA Round Updates & Preferential Tariffs in Practice

T he DOHA round of the World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations intends to promote the opening of markets and promoting free trade. This April, the latest meeting failed to reach a conclusion. Director-General Pascal Lamy of the World Trade Organization delivered a speech before the US Chamber of Commerce on April 23, 2007. Here are excerpts from his speech. "T oday we know that the Doha Development Round will not be concluded until and unless all these participants are ready to walk the extra mile and table additional contributions to the collective success of this multilateral enterprise. It is clear that the contributions will be linked to the degree of development and wealth of each participant, with the world poorest countries making the smallest contribution. It is also clear that no one will be asked to move first: countries will have to move in concert, like a big orchestra playing to the same tune. For the moment, a group of major actors — the EU, US, Brazil, India — d
5 comments
Read more