Controversy over public money
Acouple of items in the Spanish press recently have been about the way public money is spent. One piece of news revealed this week was that Prime Minister Zapatero intends to keep Spain’s promise to send 240 million euros to Africa (see page 6), which led on the one hand to cries of “charity begins at home” and on the other to “promises must be kept”, with all sorts of arguments in between.
Another funding controversy was reported by CIS, the Centre for Sociological Research which carries out all sorts of surveys. According to CIS, more than half of all Spaniards think that the country offers a high level of protection to immigrants, while more than three quarters think that elderly people living on their own get “little” or “no” protection. (Asked what “elderly” or in Spanish “mayor” means, the responses ranged from 60 to 80 years old). The idea that the elderly of whatever age have not much available to them contrasts forcibly with the fact that more than 90 per cent were unaware of the existence of social centres, day centres, home help schemes, organised pensioners’ holidays or old people’s homes. More than 60 per cent didn’t know about disability aids, or the grants available to adapt homes.
The survey respondents also said where their preferences lie when it comes to allocating state help. Top of the list was the “mayores” living on their own, followed by the unemployed, young people, pensioners and the middle classes (with 2.8 per cent). Only 1.1 per cent thought priority should be given to immigrants.
Controversy over public money |
|
|---|---|
| Inmigrantes o mayores | Immigrants or the elderly |
| ¿Quién tiene más ayuda? | Who gets more help? |
| Mucha ayuda, bastante ayuda, poca ayuda, ninguna ayuda | A lot of help, quite a bit of help, not much help, no help at all |
| Prestaciones sociales | Benefits |
| Las personas mayores que viven solas | Elderly people who live alone |
| Los parados, los jóvenes | The unemployed, young people |
| Los pensionistas, los trabajadores | Pensioners, workers |
| Las clases medias no reciben nada del Estado | The middle classes get nothing from the State |
| ¿Cuántos años tiene una persona mayor? | How old is an elderly person? |
| Tiene más de 80 (ochenta) años | He/she is more than 80 years old |
| Menos de 65 (sesenta y cinco) | Under 65 |
| Un dato sorprendente | A surprising fact |
| No conocen la existencia de las residencias | They don’t know that there are residences |
| Ignoran que pueden pedir ayuda a domicilio | They aren’t aware that they can ask for home help |
| No saben nada | They know nothing |
Liz Parry's Spanish Phrase Book is available from http://santanabooks.com/node/52
