Leaders who are motivated by greed subject their citizens to suffering.” Write an essay in support of this statement with reference to John Lara’s play The Samaritan.

Introduction: 

When the intention of leaders is rooted in their strong desire to enrich themselves by amassing more wealth, the citizens they should serve are left in destitution. Maracas Municipality is led by greedy individuals who will do everything possible to acquire riches while their subjects are exposed to misery. Accept any other relevant introduction (2 marks)

Body 3:3:3:3= 12 marks

Maracas Municipality suffers languid transport means due to pathetic conditions of secondary roads. The money allocated for construction and maintenance of such roads is looted by the leaders in charge. Mossi confesses to Nicole that money is allocated for the same but no roads are ever constructed. Only few kilometers are usually dug up, leveled then the constructor pours black oil and claims that the roads are tarmacked. The secondary roads compared to part of abandoned battle field where bombs are detonated. Even tractors can get stuck on them. The top dollars paid by the council end in the pockets of Ramdaye, the deputy mayor, and his allies. He doubles up as the Secretary for the Department of Physical Infrastructure. He uses this position to ensure that only his companies and those of his relatives win the tenders for road construction as well as construction of bridges, pavements, drains and watercourses. Sadly, these companies do nothing but misappropriating the funds. The embezzlement and misappropriation are aimed at raising his living standards while the public suffer inhibited travels. (pg 62, 63) 

 The citizens have to contend with poor health facilities as well as serious health hazards owed to environmental degradation. Instead of establishing proper hospitals, the money is embezzled for selfish gains. Ted who is the Secretary for the Department of Health and Environment is alleged to have eaten a whole hospital. When the council invited bids for the construction of health centres, as the line secretary, he ensured that companies associated with his relatives and friends won the tenders. He then conspires with them and steals all the money budgeted for the health centres. Dishearteningly, they put up some site offices that look like cowsheds and that's all! Health care that should be provided by the government hence becomes a private arrangement and responsibility. No wonder Montano reports in the skit that disease is a major cause of deaths as people cannot afford medicine (p.7). The hospitals barely have medicine. (p9). Waste disposal system in the town too is in terrible state. There is garbage all over the place and the drains are broken thereby becoming a serious health hazard. Montano alludes to awful smell in the cities due to lack of cleaning water to be the cause of Avita's permanently running nose. Instead of addressing such, Ted stands in support of Seymour’s suggestion that they disguise in the same and allocate funds but instead use the funds to fight their cases and clean up their mess. Meanwhile, the citizens should continue suffering and dying! (Pg 7, 9, 63, 64, 65) 

Justice in Maracas Municipality is compromised and a preserve for the rich. Jaden the principal judge commits injustice because of his desire for wealth. As much as he is expected to be fair in dispensing justice, his rulings are however marred by unfairness and corruption. He makes judgements that suit his interests. Montano reports that law enforcers and judges only served those who greased their palms and so, the rest of the people had no avenue for protection and justice. As a result they had to figure out their private arrangement for security and justice. What a pity! Jaden hawks justice like cabbage! (pg.69) His ruling in Rodengate affair shows that he is not principled as a judge but instead, places him in level of compromise: He willingly made a ruling that favoured his mistress Ivy in the case against the state where they benefited at the expense of the people of the Municipality. He made a ruling in favour of his friends who later paid him by giving him share of a company. He used public office to amass wealth for himself. Litigants paid him to determine cases in their favour. It worked and he accumulated wealth. (Pg 7, 69, 112, 116) 

 Municpal leaders have reduced themselves to conmen and swindlers. It is reported that there is hardly anyone Ramdaye has not conned in the town. He is in the business of swindling people. He is in a murky business of printing like ten fake title deeds for the same plot and then sells it to ten different people. He is always found leaning on the street poles in the town's backstreet gazing vacantly into empty spaces like an evil spirit - waiting for fake title deeds to be printed. He has less concern about how the people he swindles would feel. He has an accomplice - Bembe who is blamed for grabbing Maracas University Land where he built his Madingo golf club. Land grabbing is one major crime committed by these leaders and it adversely affects the victims. 

The citizens have to contend with living in houses exposed to collapsing at the slightest earthquake. They as well face the challenge of protracted delays in issuance of building approval. The man behind such delays is a self - seeking secretary to the municipal Department of Planning and Development. One hardly gets a building approval until he/she parts with dollars. The inspectorate unit working under Saymour is completely rotten. They don't care if people adhere to proper building standards or not. You can build anything so long as you part with dollars. While he lives in grandiose villa and drives a state - of - the - art vehicle, his subjects are exposed to danger in poorly built houses. Mossi says that he shudders to think of what will happen to those who live in such buildings should a big earthquake strike. He is strongly rooted in bribery as a means of enriching himself and for self defence. He also deals in drugs which have ruined many lives in the 

municipality. Besides, he is a dangerous murderer as he is the man behind the murderous black swan gang which is responsible for most shooting and violence in the municipality. All these he does for money! (Pg 35,65,66,67) 

 Mossi infringes the rights of his subjects by dictating things based on his interests. He is accused of Municipal capture. He also steals from the Municipal coffers out of greed. He confesses that when a loaf of bread for the people comes through him, he is part of the people; so he takes at most three slices and gives the rest to the people. This is embezzlement. He has stolen as much as the other leaders and is therefore afraid of being exposed. For this very reason, he fails to launch the Samaritan app and makes attempts to halt its operations in the municipality. Out of fear, he instructs Harvester to use municipal funds to buy all the newspapers from the vendors early in the morning before they are dispatched to the public. When he sees the red flags, he begins pontificating yet he is as guilty as the rest. As the overall leader, he is actually the key player in subjecting citizens of Maracas Municipality to misery. He makes the final decision and so instead of standing for what is right, he allows his greed to drive him into making decisions that allows for the looting from the municipal coffers. (Pg 14,15,17,21,22,34,35,68,69)