Neighborhood commissions denounce budget snag hindering municipal works

Neighborhood commissions in Paraguay are raising alarms over a provision in the National Budget Law that they claim is stifling community projects and paralyzing municipal work across the country. Leaders clarified that a proposed legislative project by Senator Lizarella Valiente does not aim to relax the "anti-NGO" law but rather to resolve a "barbaric" bureaucratic hurdle imposed by the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) that obstructs the use of funds for local improvements.

Mariano Bareiro of the Federation of Neighborhood Commissions and Alejandro Arce, president of the Coordinating Council of Neighborhood Commissions of Asunción, explained that confusion has arisen from a Senate-level misunderstanding. The current budget law, specifically Article 7, Clause 4, mandates that all municipal and departmental governments must seek and obtain approval from the MEF before transferring any funds to neighborhood commissions. This is ostensibly to prevent "double transfers," but Bareiro described the measure as "barbaric."

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I am concerned that the mayors of the 263 municipalities, many of whom seek re-election and speak of the importance of citizenship, are not concerned about this. The MEF must give the 'ok' for municipalities to use their own genuine funds. With this, before approving a community project in a distant neighborhood, people from the Ministry of Economy, from Asunción, have to opine if that work is feasible or not.

"I am concerned that the mayors of the 263 municipalities, many of whom seek re-election and speak of the importance of citizenship, are not concerned about this. The MEF must give the 'ok' for municipalities to use their own genuine funds. With this, before approving a community project in a distant neighborhood, people from the Ministry of Economy, from Asunción, have to opine if that work is feasible or not," Bareiro stated, questioning the silence of many mayors.

Arce added that neighborhood commissions, composed of volunteers, rely on these municipal funds for essential infrastructure like retaining walls, public spaces, and street repairs. The current excessive documentation requirements are proving unsustainable for these volunteer groups. "Why do they demand all this from us if we are volunteers and do not handle money? The money goes directly to the contracted construction companies. There are presidents of commissions in vulnerable neighborhoods who...", Arce began, highlighting the burden placed on unpaid community organizers.

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Why do they demand all this from us if we are volunteers and do not handle money? The money goes directly to the contracted construction companies. There are presidents of commissions in vulnerable neighborhoods who...