Viewpoint: Going to jail

IT is quite amazing to think that a politician who governed these islands twice will soon be behind bars. What is more he was even a Minister in the government of former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar. Jaume Matas has been found guilty of abusing his position of power. Calls for a pardon were rejected and soon he will be packing his bags for a prison cell probably in Madrid. Matas was responsible for a whole series of big projects across the island ranging from the Palma Metro to the Cycling arena. He even wanted to build an opera house. He is the highest profile politician in the Balearics to go to jail. His arch-rival Maria Antonia Munar is already in prison. Matas walked the political scene in the Balearics for many years. He was controversial but he did and obviously I say did have great pull at the ballot box. Numerous high profile members of his regime are already in jail or awaiting trial. Charges range from cash for favours to corruption. But his jail sentence could mean that the islands can finally turn the page and move on from all the cases of political corruption of recent years. It has been a bad time for the Balearics. It is often said locally that millions of euros simply "disappeared" from government coffers. All this at a time when the Balearics was in a serious recession and people were being forced to watch their pennies. The cases of political corruption can never be allowed to happen again. the necessary guidelines must always be in place.