Councillor Bill Anderson: Politics – A dodgy business

I have known for many years that politics is a fundamentally dishonest business. That is why I resisted getting into it. I am not talking about corruption here with wads of cash in brown envelopes going into back pockets or handbags. I am referring to the motivation for going into politics and the desire to remain in politics.

In fairness, there are people who enter the political world, not for the salaries, but for the opportunities presented to improve their communities. And here I am talking more about Local politics than National. 

Some would see local politics like a game of chess with the various parties competing against each other and one declaring checkmate as they win the elections. My experience in the local political scene rebuffs any notion of a noble competition where the best player wins. It involves more shifting the pieces on the board while one player goes to the toilet. Parties in government will surround themselves with those who support them and who will keep quiet about what is happening behind the scenes.

I haven’t seen too much evidence of nepotism, but enough to make it obvious that it does happen, but cronyism is one of the things that slaps you in the face on a daily basis. It falls short of buying votes, but a blind man running for a bus could still see the monochrome shades of cronyism seeping through the political pavements and buildings encouraging the idea that mutual interest is understood.

Sure, I am a member of a political party, but you know what? This party doesn’t pay my salary: the people of the municipality do. I would like to see more commitment to the people and less holding on to the strings of power out of self-interest.

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