As the upcoming budget may well determine your future fortunes, you’ll surely welcome a few more thoughts. What’s lacking amongst politicos is a statesmanlike approach. Reading about the glory days of Athens could provide you with some valuable inspiration – better than worrying about adversaries or listening to fair-weather friends. Even if he’s a transfuge, Hon Baboo could lend you a tome or two from his book-laden bedside table. 

Socio-culturals love anyone who gives them money but, like local bus services, you can’t rely on them. One minute they’re everywhere; the next there’s none in sight. Of course, the funding of religious festivals has a long history. In Athens, the Archon decided which citizens would have the honour of sponsoring a play, while the state paid the poet and leading actors. Apart from MT, many other major companies would be happy to lend a hand, even in the kitchen. However, what local festivals lack is a bit of comedy. In Greece, a parody performance debunked mythology, with a chorus of ithyphallic satyrs providing light relief after the Greek tragedies. The only tragedy here is cultural performances that are rarely innovative but tame imitations of ancestral music and dance.

As for ancestral values, they’re a double-edged sword. Few know anything about their ancestors and those that travel abroad to find their roots will find few values there they wish to emulate. Nor will they find voluminous quantities amongst sociocultural groups here either. Many contain some of the most divisive elements in society, although there is a possible way to sort out the wheat from the chaff. Any body, including parastatals, receiving state finance could be required to submit externally audited financial statements on time – or see their funding cut until they do so. Shaking things up generally is desperately needed. How matters would improve if the Audit Office could report cases directly to the police – or ICAC if appropriate – and have powers to go to court if there’s no follow-up on discrepancies. Forget about the Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee, which has shown itself to be a toothless mongrel. That is, if you want to put some order into the way public money is spent…

A new law to make it necessary to include longterm maintenance arrangements in all publicsector construction projects could mean the end of rundown playgrounds and football pitches – and much else besides. Mind you, how much easier central government’s role might be if, like the towns, la campagne paid local taxes – and local councils collected then directly! As much as politicos, it’s time Lepep woke up to their responsibilities. For example, failure to pay syndic charges should lead to properties being confiscated to pay off debts. As for subsidies, they need properly targeting. Ration rice feeds more dogs than people. You might also consider restricting bus-pass use to journeys to and from school, rather than private tuition – and why the elderly should be able to travel free in the morning and evening rush hours.

While I advocate prudence, that’s no excuse for avoiding unpopular but necessary measures. How about finally right-sizing the public sector by eliminating the incompetent and lazy? There are many larger votebanks out there - and it’s time politicos stopped licking insignifiants’ nether regions. What are needed are professionalism and meritocracy rather than cronyism and communalism. As Thucydides said, Fortune favours the bold. Our contribution? Mount Olympos will be happy to send Hephaistos to test your mettle…