A reader pointed out that the leaders of the advanced democracies earn modest salary when they were in public service, but received fat fees for public speaking after their retirement from politics. There is an article in the Straits Times about the speaking fees received by a former politician.
These fees were paid by the commercial conference organizers, who were able to get the participants to pay the fees to make it viable.
They also get big corporate sponsorships It is likely that the big corporations, which made huge profits from the free market policies, now expect to assistance of the retired politicians in their lobbying. This is unsatisfactory, but is quite unfortunate.
We need a world, and leaders, that are more honorable. They should take care of the ordinary people, rather than for personal enrichment.
Actually, not just retired politicians. Popular actor/actresses and sportsmen/women also receive fat fees, not even to speak but to just "grace the occasion" or "cut ribbon".
ReplyDeleteIn most countries, even figurehead presidents, kings and queens are maintained at great public expense to "represent something". And publicly to "cut ribbons" or "grace occasions" and not so much as to speak! Does it sound familiar even in Singapore?
So maybe such things ordinary folks should accept as a necessary XXXX and not fuss over it.
I am sure our politicians, notably Lee Kuan Yew, can command a handsome fee for speaking on commercial public engagements too. The high fees would commensurate with the value that the politician can give to the lecture. This is independent of whether they are paid highly or not while in public office.
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