Games city runs out of money

These are calamitous times in the Olympic host city. The wider state of Rio de Janeiro has declared – beyond an emergency – a ‘‘state of calamity’’.

With 40 days until the Games begin, it’s flat broke and threatening to ‘‘ration’’ public services. The financial crisis ‘‘could cause the total collapse of public security, health care, education, urban mobility and environmental management’’, the state government says.

The news is no surprise to locals. For months, teachers, pensioners and public servants have been paid late. The city council has had to take over hospitals to make sure doctors get paid. Things are especially dire for police officers: their pay cheques are delayed, there’s no money to put petrol in their cars and they have to seek donations for toilet paper for police stations.

Rio’s security boss warned last month the Brazilian government’s decision to slash its promised 9000 elite police officers to 4500 ‘‘is going to compromise’’ security planning for the Games.

And a week ago Australian Paralympian Liesl Tesch was robbed at gunpoint, prompting Australia to demand Rio ramp up its Games security.

Acting governor Francisco Dornelles announced the state of calamity so Rio state can reshuffle its spending priorities to focus on the Olympics from August 5-21. He didn’t elaborate on what more residents and workers will lose out on in the name of sport.

He appealed to Brazil’s acting President Michel Temer for R$3 billion (NZ$1.2 billion) in financial assistance to keep the state running throughout the Games starting – and I can’t overemphasise this – in just 40 days’ time.

Temer, now effectively being held to ransom, has no choice but to stump up the cash, lest the Games – the first, and probably last, major event he’ll preside over – devolve into a shambles.

Just days before calamity struck, Temer was asked for financial help for a delayed metro line that’s supposed to connect Rio’s tourist areas to the main Olympic suburb of Barra da Tijuca.

The subway’s opening has been pushed right back to August 1, which seems an optimistic estimate, with a yet-to-be-realised R$1 billion loan needed to complete the construction works. Within 40 days.

To be fair, none of this is Rio 2016’s fault: these woes are the doing of some politicians more focused on boosting their own egos than fulfilling the many needs of their people.

Pensions? Pay cheques? Loo paper? Nah. Let them have sport.