Stop elaborate feasts through supervision and punishment

It is necessary for the central authority of the Communist Party of China to require officials to save food and cut expenditure on reception banquets, says an article of China Business News. Excerpts:

The approaching Spring Festival does not only mean a time for families to get together, but it is also an excuse for officials to hold large banquets to mark the end of a year's work. These feasts are paid for by taxpayers' money and are famous for their appalling waste of food.

As the new leadership of the CPC is calling for all officials to improve their working style and efficiency and get closer to the common people, it is necessary to take the opportunity to demand all of them save food and stop squandering money on feasts.

Research by the Agricultural University of China found Chinese people wasted about 8 billion tons of protein from their food from 2007 to 2008, enough for the annual demand of 260 million people. The fat wasted every year is 3 million tons, close to 130 million people's annual consumption. Officials eating and drinking with government funds are the main wasters of this protein and fat.

The decadent dining paid for by the government, contrasts sharply with China's increasing demand for grains.

There is no effective supervision or punishment for the officials squandering taxpayers money. The central government has issued many documents, notices and regulations to deal with eating and drinking with government funds. However, none of them work.

As the new leadership of the Communist Party of China is trying its best to reign in these feasts on government funds, it must reflect on the previous fruitless efforts and establish effective supervision and accountability systems to regulate the actions of the officials.

The public should be encouraged to watch the problematic officials and there must be channels for the people to air their complaints and report the abuse of taxpayers' money.

On the other hand, the government budget must be transparent and comprehensive for the public to eliminate the possibility money is being wasted on food and drink.