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Dear
Editor:
Destination Osoyoos Chairman’s rebuke of the gentleman’s critique of
Destination Osoyoos pamphlet “Report to the Community”, clouds the issues
that really matter to society. Referring to Destination Osoyoos Chairman’s
response December 17, 2008 to the gentleman’s letter in Osoyoos Times
December 10, 2008, the gentleman’s letter offers valid points that don’t
deserve to be dismissed -- but society’s focus should not be Destination
Osoyoos.
Destination Osoyoos is doing what the private sector is supposed to do in
pursuit of revenue and profit. They market their service to potential
customers in the marketplace. Destination Osoyoos’ customer is the Town
Council and government, and Town Council and government’s decision to fund
Destination Osoyoos is a political decision. Hence, society’s concern should
not be Destination Osoyoos, but our Town Council and provincial and federal
government that make decisions and spend tax moneys on our behalf.
Since politics cannot be understood without the use of social and natural
science, society’s concern should be our elected representative’s
understanding of the social, economic and ecological issues society faces,
and of course their integrity. The foremost concern should be society
itself, not to forget that the behavior in government and Town Council and
government funding decisions reflects the level of understanding and moral
and ethical values in society. As Walt Kelly put it “We Have Met The Enemy
and He Is Us".
Tax cannot be used in one direction without being at the expense of other
aims in the community - the opportunity cost. Funding to Destination Osoyoos
involves ethical choices. From the point of view of sustainable development
the social, economic and ecological problems facing humanity, and the
disparities in society no longer can be ignored. The global ethical
responsibility of government in determining the use of tax is becoming
critical, as using tax to head hunt physicians from far less fortunate
economies. Are Beach Cleaning machines more valuable to society than funding
of socially relevant research to increase the understanding required to
early enough solve the social, economic and ecological problems we face. Or
are they more valuable than shelter and support to those less fortunate?
What first comes to your mind when reading the Destination Osoyoos pamphlet?
Who actually governs Osoyoos, the elected Town Council or Destination
Osoyoos? I find it amazing that Destination Osoyoos has the mandate to
practice social engineering and designate Osoyoos a Resort Municipality with
the provincial government! That seems like a democratic failure.
What is urgently needed and many years overdue in Osoyoos, is a prudent
unbiased examination of the Town’s economic development model and its
contract with Destination Osoyoos. That should be a high priority of the new
Town Council.
Since we are the taxpayer for all government levels, and Destination Osoyoos
receives tax transfers from municipal, provincial and federal government
levels, it would be natural if the provincial and federal government
participates in the research.
As a footnote: technically the concern is “faults in the economy’s
allocation mechanism” that hamper sustainable economic production, and
allows economic development to usurp social and ecological realities.
The research would be a socially relevant multidisciplinary research project
for UBC Okanagan, increasing understanding that would benefit Okanagan and
Canada. I trust Destination Osoyoos, would welcome the research. Why
wouldn’t they.
Democracy depends on understanding and a free flow of information openly
discussed. Support Osoyoos Times your local newspaper.
December 19, 2008
Season Greetings,
OISD
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