Luxury toilets aren't the best use of taxpayer's money

• Source: Globaltimes
• [00:56 September 30 2009]
• Comments

By Wu Meng

Good news for those who will travel in Guangzhou during the National Day holidays: On October 1, Nanyueyuan Garden – a new place of interest in Panyu district in Guangzhou's suburban area – will finally open to the public after 22 months of construction.

Not only will all tourists get a 20 percent discount on entrance tickets, but they will also have the opportunity to use a luxurious toilet in the garden free of charge, one that cost 8 million yuan ($1.20 million) to build.

This will certainly provide a fascinating new attraction for tourists. However, it is a pity that it didn't top the most expensive toilet in the world – the one in Hong Kong that cost HK$ 38 million ($4.90 million) and was made of 380 kilos of pure gold, numerous diamonds and pearls.

The garden cost 200 million yuan ($29.3 million) altogether and covers over 6 hectares. According to a recent report by Guangzhou Daily, the Nanyueyuan Garden will be a perfect display of traditional Chinese landscape architecture, with precious stones and luxurious decorative materials. Ten kilograms of pure gold were used in the decoration and half a kilo went to the toilet alone.

The name of the toilet building is shu xin ge – which literally means "comfort pavilion." With

white granite stone pillars, terrazzo tile on the surface and jade and gold as decorative materials, the shiny building looks more like a palace than a toilet.

According to Chen Ji, the manager of the garden, the reason for building such a luxurious toilet facility was to have something in accordance with the style of the traditional garden and also show the unique architectural style of southern China. A nice, comfortable toilet will "leave a good impression on the tourists," Chen said.

However, reading the news, I feel concerned that there will only be two guards in charge of the cleaning and security of the toilet building.

An 8 million yuan building, which is expected to attract numerous tourists, should have better protection. The gold and jade used on the top of the building will be an attraction for thieves. Perhaps a small army platoon could be detached to permanently guard the "comfort pavilion."

I imagine that the chance to enjoy such luxury while "on the throne" will certainly be an once-in-a-lifetime experience for many visitors. On the other hand, I can't help wondering if the local government has done its math.

The 200 million yuan budget is surely not a small sum. Out of curiosity, I did a search on the Panyu district of Guangzhou. A recent report by the Yangcheng Evening News – a local newspaper in Guangzhou – caught my attention. In the report, it says there are still 1,268 poor families in Panyu district that live on subsistence allowances from the government.

They cannot even afford a TV. Therefore, the government plans to help them and give them TV sets soon.

It is hard to imagine how low the living standard is for some people there, since a TV is considered an essential item for most families in China. What di_ erence might it make to spend the money on the extravagant decoration in the garden on the people who actually need it more?

Also, as a major city with China's biggest floating population, Guangzhou is facing a lot of problems involving migrant workers. They face a lot of socialization issues during their integration into the city.

The taxpayers' money can be better used than for gold-plated toilets. Using it on extravagances is more disappointing than attractive.