Politicians who do not accept criticism
There are politicians who do not know how to deal with criticism and there are those who do not accept that their management is questioned. Politicians get angry when citizens complain even though they are not imagined complaints, they are reasoned and tangible complaints. Frequently, citizens find out about political shenanigans through the media. As that expression applied to politics says “we don’t even know the half of the mass”. Half of it we know thanks to journalism and the other half we don’t know because the politicians don’t want us to know.
Cost overruns in municipal projects
Last February, the municipal candidacy “Let’s do Manresa” denounced that the initial budget of the Baroque Museum in Manresa approved by the municipal government was 5,452,274 euros (contribution from the City Council and aid from other administrations) and that the figure it had increased to around 9.8 million euros. Ondia! if the numbers are true, it equates to an 80% increase between the initial budget and the final cost.
Last June 25, page 5 of this newspaper was headed by this headline: “The completed part of the new avenue is worth 8.4 million, 53% more than expected”. He was referring to the part of the Avinguda dels Països Catalans that connects the Trullols sector with the Carrereta de Vic to Manresa. The Manres mayor justified the cost overrun by arguing that there were “things” in the project that had not been contemplated and “unforeseen” that it was not known for what reasons the project was modified. The mayor pointed out that the Generalitat provided 60% of the funding and the City Council 40%.
Future cost overruns
We can already begin to tremble with the cost overruns that there will certainly be (let no one doubt it) when the work on the new seat of the Generalitat in the old courts of Manresa is finished and other projects in perspective such as the burying of the FGC line with the new station under Plaça Espanya and the rehabilitation of the New Factory. Although the Generalitat will pour the sack, it must be remembered that the works will be carried out with public money and, therefore, from our taxes.
Unmet needs
By the way, last June 26 the sports page of this newspaper reported on the Manresa City Council’s tribute to Club Patí and Covisa futsal club. A well-deserved recognition both for the great sporting season and also for the great training work they carry out. Both clubs share the Pujolet municipal pavilion and due to the various teams they have it is very difficult for them to be able to combine training schedules and sports competitions.
At the tribute ceremony, the mayor admitted Manresa’s need for a new sports hall, but that this is not feasible in the short term, as it costs 5 million euros. You see where, with the cost overruns caused by political negligence (“things”, “unforeseen”…) a few needs could be solved.
The new sports hall could be built with the additional cost of the Avinguda dels Països Catalans development. With the cost overrun of the works on the Baroque Museum, the foundations of the public geriatric residence that Manresa urgently needs could be started, and with the cost overrun on the new Generalitat building, it is certain that the residence could already be inaugurated .
