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Make the guilty pay damages

(China Daily)
Updated: 2010-12-14 13:19

A postmaster in Henan province has been arrested on charges of drunken driving and causing the death of five teenagers. After the postmaster was arrested, the local government announced that the victims' families would receive monetary compensation. Though it may seem that the local government has handled the case efficiently, the fact is it has not, says an article in Huaxi Metropolis Daily. Excerpts:

The car that the postmaster was driving belongs to the local post office. That may be one of the reasons why the local government announced that it would pay 230,000 yuan ($34,523) each to the families of the five teenagers who were killed. The local post office has agreed to give 30,000 yuan of the 230,000 yuan. The rest will probably come from the local fiscal budget.

There is no doubt that the victims' families deserve more than the compensation. But since the fiscal budget is financed by taxpayers' money, the local government cannot and should not make the compensation part of the fiscal expenditure.

The most appropriate way of dealing with the case would be to make the postmaster pay the damages to the families of the victims. This would also be in accordance with the rules of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.

Besides, the local government should launch a thorough investigation into the accident and ensure that the postmaster gets a fair ruling in the case. This may delay the compensation for the victims' families but will certainly not deny them.

The local government should also take action against senior government officials who misuse public resources and property, and use official cars for personal errands.