Helicopter shots..!

By Robert Clements. Dated: 2/14/2013 10:37:57 PM

While Dhoni was hitting his famous helicopter shots on the cricket field, an Indian air-force chief was allegedly busy picking up his helicopter purchase bribes.
Many times I hear people telling me it's time our press and public stop going after these bribe takers, "What's a little money changing hands under the table?" they ask, "Let everybody make a few extra bucks!"
I shudder when I hear such and will try to explain why:
A bribe is not just about money; it's about a word called 'compromise'.
When a bribe is taken, the bribe taker normally a person in whose hands power has been given to choose the best person or the best product, compromises on the 'best'.
He chooses the second best, maybe the third best and sometimes when the bribe given is huge, he takes the risk of choosing the worst.
Those helicopters the air-chief chose after taking a bribe are certainly not the best in the market; if they were, there would be no need for a bribe.
Today we have in our country two huge business houses who have learned how to use this great weakness of ours to their advantage. They know who to give bribes to, and where to compromise on quality. The whole country distrusts their products and services, but both the billionaire owners of these two companies can't be bothered as they grease the palms of those in power and carry on regardless.
A bribe makes the whole nation suffer.
During the Mumbai terrorist attack, the bullet proof jackets the poor police officers put on allowed the terrorist bullets to penetrate. Can you imagine that?
What a shame! Obviously huge amounts of cash must have passed hands to allow this. But what happened in the end? We lost three of our best officers!
That's what a bribe does; it makes us losers.
I am sure the helicopters given by the Italian firm that paid the bribe can fly, obviously it's rotor blades work, or I hope they do, but whether they can stand the vagaries of bad weather, whether they can take risks and whether they will last a few decades of service need to be seen.
In the city of Mumbai the roads are the worst in the country, the reason being that the contractors pay huge bribes to the municipal engineers and corporators, such huge bribes that there is no money left for concrete, cement and asphalt, and so cheap material is used. The bribe money is deducted from the cost of services or the product.
Like I said there are many of us who think that TV and press are being too harsh in unearthing scam after scam of bribe takers and givers.
Don't wait for a new bridge to collapse under you, don't wait to lose a loved one, don't wait to find out what tragedy bribes can do in your life, instead realize the gravity of those 'helicopter shots' that are being played in our country and shout and scream that enough is enough..!
bobsbanter@gmail.com

 

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