Singh likes his 'very nice hotel' UBCM

By MARKUS ERMISCH Staff reporters Oct 29 2006
Councillor says he wouldn't spend own cash on room Neophyte councillor Arjun Singh enjoyed his first UBCM convention. He has also enjoyed the accommodations. "I am staying in a very nice hotel - rate is about $125 a night, I think," he wrote on his blog under the heading UBCM conference great value."The meals are good. I would not stay in such a nice place if I was paying my own way, but I would probably still eat as well, or better." Township of Langley Coun. Jordan Bateman responded on his own blog. "Yikes," he wrote after reading Singh's Oct. 25 blog entry. "Something about public servants staying above their regular pay grade on the taxpayers' dime bothers me." When KTW asked Singh if taxpayers could misinterpret his blog entry, he said: "The basic point is that everything we spend on this conference has been justified. That's what I've been getting to." "I want to make it clear that we don't stay in crappy places when we go on conventions. I don't think that's appropriate, either. As representatives of the city, of the taxpayers, you don't want us to be in a hostel." Personally, Singh said, he prefers hostels and bed-and-breakfasts, noting he would have no problem staying in a cheaper place while attending a conference. In his blog, Singh also states the UBCM convention in Victoria was worthwhile because of the amount of information and insights he was able to receive.