Maria de Deus da Silva, a social leader of the Participatory Budget of Porto Alegre, Brazil.
"PARTICIPATORY BUDGET IS NOT A GIFT AUTHORITIES, IT IS A LAW THAT WE WON THE CITIZENS '
was the Workers Party of Brazil (PT) who won the PB system 16 years ago and now exists in all sectors where the government PT local. In our country, the coordinator of the participatory budget took his first steps in 2001 to see concrete results - in different districts of the country, "since last year. Leonico Maria de Deus da Silva, which sponsored the project in the country in Rio, visited Chile to look in the mirror field experience in our country and encourage people to continue working.
How did this experience participatory budgeting in your community?
A: He started 16 years ago. We need urgent, but we did not have a penny. Then, in the first talks between the neighbors, we found much that many of our needs were not being met with money but only with the goodwill of the municipality and citizens. It was an extensive process of discussions with local authorities led to the idea of \u200b\u200bconducting a census to determine the level of urgency or seriousness of our difficulties.
But without money have solved anything?
A: At first, there was no way to allocate funds for the participatory budget because we had to wait for the municipality paid all debts and then coordinate the first resources were minimal. But it helped us to know our different realities, organize and unify criteria with the authorities.
What has been the most difficult to face so far?
R: The participatory budget includes duties and responsibilities of citizens. I think one of the most complex things was to make everyone understand what we were given was not a gift from the authorities but a right of individuals, rights under conquests with great effort but also must maintain and care.
finance is not complex or other proposal within a sea of \u200b\u200bmany needs?
A: One of the main things we learned, together, was to create social awareness when seeing the needs of others above their own. We met many cases where the quality of life for many people was worse than ours. That made us take responsibility for what we were getting, be able to postpone it for others to have access to basic issues. In the future, and understanding that all needs were valid, it was decided to allocate resources by theme.
What part you in this experience as a spokesperson and promoter of participatory budgeting?
A: In the year 88, my community focused on 28% of the poverty of the city of Porto Alegre, for example we did not have basic sanitation. Situations like this made me understand that it was possible that the most affected could not do anything to solve it. My life changed the traditional housewife job to work as a social actor. I returned to study after many years because it was necessary to train and learn for my community. We had to learn to use the money very wisely.
And what were the main lessons of the wise use of resources?
A: After 16 years of experience we have learned to work with caution, investing effort and save a lot of joy. Because the government will always be government, the employer always be an entrepreneur and the poor will always be poor. We have learned to take full advantage of the resources because we have never worked with high budgets. From our experience as heads of household or housewives with little money, we must be very creative because somehow or other we must reach.
What is your relationship with the government of Lula?
A: The current Brazilian government has been very close to the Third Sector, but we must not forget that all governments respond to their own interests which often restricts their relationship with society to receive and hear complaints difficult life situations of people. So when you get achievements, for example through participatory budgeting, one must understand that it is a favor of those in power. That message must be transmitted to their children and grandchildren because we have now got our own work, therefore, is ours, and not dependent on the rulers.
What are generally the main advantages and disadvantages of participatory budgeting?
A: One of the main advantages of this system is that the ordinary citizen is familiar with how the administration of a public and passes them understand their pros and cons. From there, if you worked a lot before, now work much more because you look in articulating the obligation to go dialogues, discussions with the authorities, advising and informing others of the importance of working together. Finish made to others and that is one of the most important things.
Participatory budgeting is a step. What comes after that?
R: The participatory budget allows you to express the specific needs of the society they live and continue to reconcile policies for the sector to government guidelines and programs. From there, the whole society is with the ongoing task of overseeing the proper implementation of decisions taken by the authorities.
One of the main difficulties Chilean society, in relation to the political class, is the distrust that this latest generation, given their particular interests. How is this fence saves and manages work together?
A: We also started with lot of distrust, but we believe that one of the main weapons to maintain transparency of the process is to rebuild the relationship every day. We have discussions, problems and mistakes that are shown around the world as we talked. Confidence in the authorities is built through dialogue and to have total clarity of what my task and my goal within the participatory budget and what are the real tools that gives me authority to make effective.
What about Chile's experience?
A: Unlike the Brazilian case participatory budgeting in Chile has begun a more coordinated and a lot of community involvement. I further understand that all parties are clear about their duties and rights. I see a lot of collective consciousness in construction which, without doubt, will pay them achievements and successes in the future.
If I had to leave a tip to the Chilean civil society on how to properly manage this process. What is that?.
A: This is the beginning of a busy road that will lead to great learning. But it is also beginning of an overall effort of all people of the commune, because there are municipalities that generate and provoke change, but people who are part of this territory. Just work, be supportive and aware of what I can get that job.
Published on Thursday September 23, 2004
By: Pablo Andres Soto Rojas
0 comments:
Post a Comment