Free Trips for Politicians

“All forms of government”, my old friend W.J.Fernando used to say, “are forms of exploitation of the people by their rulers.”

“The only significant difference between a democracy and other forms of government” he would add, ” is that in a democracy, the people are under the illusion that they have the opportunity of choosing their exploiters!”

Over the years, I have come to realise that this business of exploiting one’s voters – of fooling most of the people most of the time – is not confined to our own politicians  in Sri Lanka. Politicians – those elected representatives of the people – all over the world seldom refuse an opportunity to utilise their elected roles to travel overseas at the taxpayers’ expense.

Such free trips ostensibly are for official business and are justified as being “in the interests of the country’. In reality these trips are simply junkets that allow the said politicians to enjoy an expenses paid vacation abroad, where travel (usually in business or first class) and accommodation (in posh hotels) are paid for by the tax payer.

So it was with cynical interest that I read that Sri Lanka will be blessed by a visit from yet another British politician this month.

Read more at: Overseas Jaunts for Politicians