Paving project in Pinalejo Santa Bárbara.

4/11/2021 Journalist: Evelyn Henrriquez.

The Secretary of State in the Offices of Infrastructure and Public Services INSEP executes paving projects in the community of Pinalejo Santa Bárbara.

The community of Pinalejo manages to witness a slight but significant development in infrastructure. After many years of owning cobbled dirt streets, a tiny part of the center of this noble community of Pinalejo is being benefited with a hydraulic concrete paving of a section of street located in front of the Central Park and the Cooperativa de Ahorro y Crédito Pinalejo Limitada. . This section of street intersects with the Bulevar Ing. Manuel Mejía of the Barrio El Centro de Pinalejo. Paving is also carried out in the passages of the trade.

We are satisfied with the execution of this project, however, how much longer will the people have to wait to see their taxes transformed into works? Pinalejo's apparent progress is that of a facade, an appearance. In all the communities, the lack of the vital liquid: water, has been the headache for decades for the noble population of Pinalejo. And if there is water, it is rationed every other day or every two days and when rains fall in the sector, the drinking water board sends mud as a terrible service to the community. A visionary project is needed that thinks about giving a better quality service to the people even if it transforms into costs for the community. Water that is never lacking with consumption meters (water meters) as in large cities.

Many residents express outraged that development is only seen in the houses of those who hold public office, Mayors, Deputies, Councilors, etc. The leaders of the people live the high life, when the people who elected them for the benefit of future generations, live in misery and disgrace.

However, this is what our Honduras possesses, incompetent governments and authorities and there is nothing left to do. A new government cabinet will bring the excuse that the coffers of the municipality are empty that were looted by those who previously ruled and the same excuse for decades after decades.

In the municipality of Quimistán, which includes Pinalejo as a village, a family has ruled for decades, so much so that the people consider them heroes and name streets, boulevards and parks or public squares in honor of them. Juan José Guevara Escalante Boulevard, Central Plaza Juan José Guevara Figueroa, father and son immortalized for decades in power, while the town is stoned in misery for decades.

This note has no political overtones or leanings, we only refer to a sad reality from which we cannot escape or turn a blind eye. Governments show incompetence and difficulties to govern. The promises are in limbo or half. The people got tired of waiting for changes that were part of the promises of the politicians, they were deluded when they heard them but were disappointed at the lack of words in them. A Mayor said: If you want works, pay taxes. The people respond: If the people do not pay taxes and therefore there is no room for works, why is there to build mansions for the Mayor and his wife, the current deputy?

Judge for yourself. Tax payments from the population to the state coffers flow in various ways. The population pays taxes when buying products or services recorded with the so-called 15% VAT tax. The sales tax (VAT), also called value added tax (VAT), is a tax that falls on the consumption of goods and services, that is, they are paid by the final consumer. All commerce including the one in Quimistan and Pinalejo as well as villages in the same municipality pay the tax (VAT) when buying or acquiring goods and services. If we made a survey of how many are the collections acquired by this type of tax, we would be amazed to see that there is enough to at least generate development in the area.

The State also receives income from compulsory taxes on vehicles that circulate on the various highway axes of the country. Hundreds of users who own vehicles in the municipality of Quimistán are forced to pay these taxes. We would be surprised to see the amount collected only in this municipality because the neighbor who owns a luxury truck from 2006 to 2012 pays an approximate of between 5 thousand to 6 thousand lempiras of annual taxes, not to mention that the cars of the year or 2018 to 2021 pay up to 15 thousand lempiras in tuition, precisely enough funds to generate at least development in the sector and improve basic services.

These collected funds mentioned in a rough way without luxury of details, plus those that the community of developed countries abroad contribute to the economy of the Central American region, are distributed in the various municipal mayors. From the enormous financial pie, the mayor of Quimistán should receive by law and right, funds to promote development among its citizens who pay these aforementioned ways of paying taxes, it is the obligation of the State of Honduras to distribute these funds to the 298 municipalities. Have the people really not paid taxes in any way that therefore should be denied the improvement of basic services? Or is it simply a response from a Mayor who does not have the explanation for the diversion of funds to his own benefit?

For Carodka Studio

Evelyn Henrriquez.

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