As if keeping him in a tight leash so that he won't go wayward while City Mayor Dan Lim is abroad, V-Mayor Jose Antonio Veloso found himself in this predicament making him more like a “glorified clerk” rather than acting city mayor. At least two “don'ts” were thrown Veloso's way when he assumed office as acting city mayor last Thursday. Mayor Lim left Friday evening for the United States to attend the 2007 Global Public Sector Summit. The global gathering will be held in Washuington DC on October 9-11. This was contrary to insinuations that he will leave the city to witness the much-publicized Pacquio-Barrera setto in Las Vegas, Nevada today (Manila time).
While in the States, Veloso is prohibited from hiring of casual workers saying that under no circumstances will the hiring of the services of any casual worker be allowed. The hiring of casuals triggered a bitter exchange of communications between the two city executives Casual hiring became the flashpoint of the spat between Mayor Lim and Veloso widening the chasm that separated them. Lim and Veloso belonged to different parties in the last May elections. It was widely believed that Lim's directive on casuals was a pre-emptive move to prevent Veloso from releasing the salaries of eight casuals assigned in the Sangguniang Panglungsud. |
