Lack of public supervision led to ridiculous move of 'false sheep'

ACCORDING TO A RECENT REPORT BY PEOPLE'S DAILY, to create an impression of prosperity for their superiors who were conducting an a inspection tour, local officials got pupils with big white bags to spread out across a hillside so they would look like sheep when seen from a train. To end such practices, it is necessary to allow residents to supervise their officials, says a comment on Beijing News:

"False sheep" is just one of the tricks used by local officials. Their creative measures to cheat their superiors include painting hillsides green to pretend they are full of trees, as well as building a long wall by roadsides so that leaders who visit villages do not see the poorest parts.

Some "experts" said these officials should be forgiven because they are under pressure. That's nonsense. In most of the cases, local officials engage in such tricks to give the illusion of prosperity because that promises approval from their superiors and the possibility of promotion. For local residents, such deeds by their officials mean fewer opportunities for real improvements, and possibly a heavier tax burden, because together with such "creative" measures the officials will create false accounts to make the local economy look good. The crazy deeds of local officials do residents no good; only the officials benefit from them.