Usual way of doing things

Unchecked State spending is the traditional way things are done.

And calling for investigations thereafter is the traditional way things are done.

Also, nothing coming of investigations is the traditional outcome from the way things are done.

However, laying down regulations and checks and applying sanctions to prevent lavish unchecked expenditure isn’t the way things are done.

If Sports Minister Darryl Smith accepts an invitation to five or six further sports engagements, who’ll pay the bills for those engagements? Also, if other ministers/State employers have similar engagements, who’s to absorb their bills? Taxpayers? Doesn’t the PNM Government believe that racking up $151,000 ($59,000 plus $92,000) in unplanned, unnecessary expenditure is reckless? When Finance Minister Colm Imbert did a detailed audit into ministerial overspending for the last 20 years, what was the total he got?

B JOSEPH via email