Lyres, saxophones, guitars and trombones are some of the Municipality of Hojancha’s 42 instruments that are in storage and unused.
The instruments were purchased in December of 2009, during the administration of former mayor Juan Marin, at a cost of ¢9,162,000 ($17,450).
According to Hojancha’s current mayor, Eduardo Pineda, there was a group of parents from the community who hired a music teacher to give classes to children and teenagers, however, the group disbanded and the municipality does not have a budget to pay for a teacher.
“Hiring a teacher would have to be added to the payroll and we don’t have a budget. There are a bunch of positions that are very useful that we haven’t been able to create due to the budget, for example we don’t have a legal advisor. Now thankfully this year, we started with the environmental manager, but there are other positions that are a priority,” the mayor specified.
The instruments have been in storage for three years, except for an occasional event in which permission is requested from the municipality to use them and a loan ticket is made for them.
Pineda explained that the instruments cannot be sold either, because they are public property and a bid would have to be opened for them.
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