Province, Feds At Odds Over 2010 Security Budget
13/10/2008 04:40
VANCOUVER - The release of the security budget for the 2010 Winter Olympics is being held up by cost-sharing negotiations between the federal and provincial governments and one critic says that leaves planners with a blank cheque for spending.
Almost a year after the multi-agency force led by the RCMP to oversee Olympic security submitted a revised budget, they are still waiting for word on how much they're allowed to spend on the Games.
"It's the equivalent of a blank cheque," said Chris Shaw, of No2010, an Olympic watchdog group.
"If they don't have a fixed budget they have written a blank cheque that all the agencies will take advantage of because of the nature of bureaucracy."
The initial budget for securing the Games was pegged at $175 million, though even the Integrated Security Unit itself said that was far too low.
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SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
I don’t know about you, folks, but in this day and age, with all of the important issues we can’t provide funding for in our society right now, I really resent spending upwards of $175 million to provide security for this sporting event. How about you?