Beggars, braggarts and opportunists

THE EDITOR: With the local government elections just days away, out comes the political wannabees, the hangers-on, and those who think they have all the answers despite never holding any political office before.

Is that whom we want to place in the seat of power? Do political neophytes appeal to voters simply because they are unsullied by corruption and, therefore, should be seen as a better choice than those in power? Or is their attractiveness based on their gift of gab?

At the other extreme are those who try to cling to power with their promises of doing better this time around as they brag about their past accomplishments. While we have learned from an early age that braggarts are mostly filled with hot air and are typically bullies who throw their weight around to intimidate others (in this case, the voters), they never point out their shortcomings and hope the voters will have a dwarf-sized memory to overlook that aspect of their past.

Then there are the opportunists; like sharks, they can smell blood in the water and circle like vultures flying in for the coup d’état. However, they all bring baggage with them. Some have been in power before and have since been voted out, while others are quick to point out the ills of the country, be it jobs, educational failures or crime, but do not talk about their past misprision.

With so much money spent politicking and so few meaningful choices, is it any wonder that the voters stay away in droves, especially from the local government elections – which, by most people’s assessment, will change nothing for the sufferers but begin their journey on the road to riches for those chosen to hold the reins of power.

While even politicians know that the local government elections are meaningless, candidates seek them to give them bragging rights to enhance their chances of winning the next general election.

As long as we have a political system where a few wealthy people can influence elections, nothing will change significantly until we introduce campaign finance reform that makes it severely punishable by jail and hefty fines to use state funds to advertise or contribute anything of value to the parties or their candidates. Moreover, not a penny, or a dollar, or a drink, or a shirt should be paid to bribe voters.

The only thing that matters should be the candidates’ ethics and morality. The sentencing applies to the leader of political parties, candidates, and all corporate heads, even the state-run ones who boldly and shamefacedly advertise how well they have been doing; it is not so subtle politicking at the shareholders’/people’s expense. That includes banks; even the Central Bank shamelessly brags about the billions it made in profit since the current government came to power.

Moreover, let us not forget the ministries and the EBC who spend millions of taxpayers' dollars advertising to a public who can quickly get that information more efficiently and freely available online. From my anecdotal experience, no one pays attention to these advertisements.

REX CHOOKOLINGO

rexchook@gmail.com