It is perhaps ironic that on one of the most important weekends in Latvian history, the newspapers carry more about basketball than the crucial budget readings. But that is Latvia for you. The list of budget winners and losers is as expected. Teachers keep their pay level, firefighters will lose some posts. The workers who cleaned up Chernobyl get a small increase. Considering the small numbers and the huge service they did for the world they might have got more.
The police will also be cut but this is vital if they are to become a healthy western facing force. They are hugely overmanned and still operate like the police in some minor South American state of 50 years ago. They are only happy serving VIPs. The first sign of any minor dignitary and they bully and abuse the public and also break the law by driving dangerously with impunity. A few prosecutions would not be out of order. The Presidents cavalcade is the worst.
But back to the budget. The key thing is that the figures only show the top of the iceberg. What is not shown is all the nonsenses that our money is spent upon. Basketball gets money from at least three ministries and employs some 12 people or more. I accept that major sports that cannot attract private funds should get Government support. The country should probably pay for a national coach and a couple of administrators, but not more. Basketball gets private money. It should get no government funding at all.
At least the Government got something right by stealing Gatis Kokins from the main opposition Party the SCP to bring stability to Parex bank. We wish him well and lets hope that Latvia has enough money to support basketball instead of proper business and public services in another 90 years time.
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