THE governing of Wales by the Welsh Government is like observing the attempt to fill a bucket riddled with holes. The holes need repairing first. The thought of this government having tax raising powers before eliminating wasteful/untimely spending rings alarm bells.

New fundraising powers without reducing wasteful spending would mean more taxes. What we need now is more wealth creation in Wales not more taxes.

Burdensome red tape and unnecessary spending, especially at this time, should be ruthlessly scrutinised and reduced. Policies focussed on economic growth.

A recent critique of the Welsh Language Society by a proud Welshman illustrates one area of tax spending with uncontrolled spending affecting swathes of organisations in Wales.

The Welsh Language Board alone has cost many hundred million pounds since inception. The replacement Welsh Language Commissioner, Welsh Language Unit, Welsh Language Partnership Council and hundreds of committees and thousands of executives/ staff will spend time and money within their organisations implementing “standards”, codes of practice and subject to language enforcement regimes.

The promotion of the Welsh Language is mandatory in the public service sector with intentions to ‘persuade and motivate’ the Welsh speaking population to use the Welsh language.

The private sector, the voluntary sector, sporting organisations, families, etc., organisations outside Wales will be encouraged to recognise and use Welsh no less favourably than the English Language.

This will be extremely costly and distracting from more critical objectives at this time.

So far there appears no way of finding exactly how much of taxpayers money has been and will be spent on the promotion of the Welsh language. Meanwhile, while the Welsh Government are spending unknown £1,000s on TV adverts promoting the Welsh Language, MPs in Westminster Hall debate the extensive Food Poverty that exists for many folk in the UK. The desire to preserve the Welsh culture is laudable, but surely now is the time for both the Welsh goverment and Westminster to get it’s priorities right.

Here in Wales, would not the time and money, present and future, be better spent restoring our economy, improving overall education, health services, hi-tech science and business skills?

For how much longer must Wales languish at the bottom of the economic growth league?

RONALD WEEDON by email