Leaders who engage in social evils in the society will always try to hide those evils when exposed but they fail miserably.” Closely referring to Mayor Mossi in John Lara’s play The Samaritan, write an essay to validate the truth of this statement

 POINT OF INTERPRETATION

S i.The Launch

Mayor Mossi tries to hide his corrupt deeds and he tries to stop the launch but he fails.

During the launch of the App Alvita says people are sharing information about the use of resources. People are sharing information on what the Municipal Council is procuring, how tenders are awarded, quality of goods and services. In case of abuse of procurement and delivery process it will be shared with the Crimes and Integrity Commission. This shocked Mayor Mossi, he knows under him Ted, Seymour have supplied air yet they were billed. He has also committed corruption. As a result, he stops the launch of the App saying it will have far reaching implications on the social, economic and political life. He also says it will be a platform of misinformation, lies and witch hunt. He tells Nicole to write a letter to the Ministry of Education saying the App has fundamental errors that needs to be looked into. Nicole tells him that the App was assessed by senior officials from the Ministry of Education and experienced software engineers and they found no error, it passed the test. Mayor Mossi orders her to write the letter expressing reservations about the App and that his decisions supercedes any other person. Eventually he fails. Nicole tells him she will do what is right. She later wrote to the Ministry saying it is Mayor Mossi who has the reservation and not her. The App did not stop to operate. In fact, it exposed the leaders corrupt deals and this causes panic. Eventually they are arrested by Inspector Tayo.

Sii. The Newspaper

Mayor Mossi orders Harvester to buy all the Newspaper to stop the damaging headlines but the App continues to operate.

Mayor Mossi is accused of municipal capture the worst form of corruption, he has also abused his office, he has misallocated funds for council members, as a result, the Newspapers has exposed him and other leaders. The Carribean Watch had a damaging reputation – Municipal leadership – A criminal enterprise while Sentinel screamed municipal leaders stripped naked. The spotlight also had municipal leaders face imprisonment. The stories in these newspapers were extremely damaging. For the last one month, such headlines were in the newspapers. As a result, he orders Harvester to buy all the newspapers from the vendors as early as possible. However, he fails in this mission, despite Harvester buying all the newspapers, the Samaritan continues to operate, he even realizes it was the source of all the damaging revelations they find everyday in the daily newspaper. Moreover, the detailed evidence of how companies billed the municipal council huge amount of money yet they did not supply anything are in the newspaper; documentary evidence has been posted and are shared widely in social platform. This causes fear and anxiety to Mossi. Harvester is also accused of using public funds to buy all newspapers as instructed by Mayor Mossi. This is exposed in the Samaritan causing him to fear and panic. Indeed, he fails miserable.

(Page 21,22,23,24,25)

S iii. Banning the App.

Mayor Mossi plans to ban the App but he fails. It continued to operate.

Mayor Mossi wants to ban the App because he feels the App is the source of all damaging revelations they find everyday in the daily newspapers, he talks of the latest sensation being the newspaper exposing how companies billed the municipal huge sums of money every month yet services are not rendered, they supply air. Documentary evidence and details of payment to the companies involved have been exposed in the Samaritan App and they are also in the newspaper. It has also revealed how leaders loot funds to sustain their rich lifestyles, it exposed where they live their business and properties. As a result of all these lobby groups are calling upon for their prosecution due to corruption. Mossi suggests that they issue a circular to ban the use of the App in Caracus municipality unless it is authorized by the Prime Minister, he also agree with the idea of looking for experts to mess or hack the App continues to operate. It even accused Harvester of writing letters to ban the use of the App and directed the ICT officer to hack the App. The letter is even posted there in the App. It also accused Mossi of municipal capture, the form of corruption where private interest determines public policy. Mossi fails terribly and he suffers panic, he fears he may be prosecuted fails terribly.

Page 24-27, 28, 38-39)

S iv. The Pleadings.

Mayor Mossi pleads with Nicole to eliminate negative information about him in the App but he fails.

During the launch, Mayor Mossi orders Nicole to write a letter to the Ministry of Education through Principal Naratie citing that the App has fundamental errors that needs to be looked into. Nicole tells him she will do what is right despite the threat, However, Nicole wrote the letter to the ministry detailing it is Mayor Mossi who is concerned about the App being a platform of lies, misinformation or witch-hunt hence the officials dismissed his concern, the App continued to operate. The president office representatives are responsible for its national launch therefore Mayor Mossi decides to plead with Nicole. He apologises to Nicole for being hard on her, he says that he is worried, his political opponent Basdeo can post false information about him in the App. He also says he has come to own up his mistakes to Nicole and seek for his understanding and help. He pleads with her to find a way of eliminating some negative information that they post about him in the App because he is vulnerable to falsehood as a leader. Nicole refuses telling him he is not an administrator and he has no access to the backend, and it has been taken over by the National Information and Communication corporation who are making decisions. He fails terribly to an extent of desperately trying to bribe Nicole. He even tells Nicole to prevail upon the children to delete this information. (pg 58 -60)

S v. The Bribery

Mayor Mossi tries to bribe Nicole but she refuses causing him embarrassment.

Mayor Mossi tries to plead with Nicole to eliminate the negative information about him in the App but she refuses. He had been accused of municipal capture the worst form of corruption hence Mossi resorts to bribing Nicole. He tells Nicole that Nicole and the kids need money, the young kids need money and Nicole can also do with some cash, she should quote any figure however big it was. Nicole refuses the offer and tells him that he is disappointed that a man entrusted with the affairs of the municipality including fighting corruption is offering to bribe her, she says she can never been and will not be part of these kinds of schemes. She even threatens to post that offer of money on The Samaritan\. Mossi fails, he gets embarrassed and tells Nicole he did not mean to commercialize the App as a capitalist. Nicole tells him she has no proprietary claims to make a decision on the App. This cause him embarrassment. (pg 60-63)

S vi. Press conference

Mayor Mossi calls a press conference to counter the allegations levelled against the leaders in the media but but he fails.

He has been accused of many crimes including municipal capture, the worst form of corruption and abuse of office in which his private interest determines the direction of public policy. There are even documentary evidence in the App to prove this. He also accuses Basdeo of paying the journalist to look for damaging information and upload them in the App. As a result, he orders Harvester to mobilize his staff to prepare a comprehensive press statement and it should focus on countering all the allegations against them in the media. He orders him to get some talking notes and include accusing the app of cyberbullying, spy software and ponography. He also instructs him to arrange for a press conference every day to give an impression the municipal council is running normally. They should also deny the allegation in the App saying such are manufacturers lies by political opportunists and election losers. Despite all these counter attacking, the App continued to operate. He even stoops low to plead with Nicole in school to delete negative information about him in the App. It worries him so much. (pg. 39,42-43)

S vii. The blame game

Mayor Mossi tries to blame other leaders to exonerate himself from abuse of office but Nicole blames him instead.

After failing in bringing Nicole he resorts to blaming other leaders. He says he is being accused in the Samaritan for inflating the cost of projects and presiding over shoddy municipal works, he claims he is not responsible for that. He accuses Ramdaye as the secretary of the Department of infrastructure of stealing funds meant for road construction. Only a few kilometres are dug up and levelled then old black oil is poured claiming it is tarmacked. He also accused Ted of eating a whole hospital as the Secretary for Health and Environment. He gave tenders to his friends and relatives and stole money for building health centres. They built offices that look like cowsheds. He accuses Seymour of getting bribes before issuing building approvals, one has to part with dollars. He fails to convince Nicole. Nicole lectures him. She asks him why Mayor Mossi has never charged these people in court. She even advises him to post all those allegations in the Samaritan App. He gets angry and accuses Nicole of intending to destroy his political career. (pg. 62-70)

S. viii. Enticement.

Mayor Mossi teams up with other leaders to entice Nicole with the position of General Manager but he is arrested.

The Samaritan App has accused Mayor Mossi and other leaders of countless corruption charges and abuse of office. The public are up in arms; they are keen in holding every one of them to account. The Judiciary and Minister for Local Government have put a spotlight on them and the Chief Justice is contemplating taking action on them end up in Baneta Express Prison. Mayor Mossi chairs a meeting where they conspire to offer Nicole a higher office – Director General so that she can side with them and stop the Samaritan App from operating. Mossi agrees with Seymour that they can give her a high office since he suspects she is playing a power game. Mossi tells her they will give her a contract as the Director General. She will be a consultant with oversight powers over all departments. Nicole rejects the offer saying Maracus desire a change from within a person not contract, new office or a law. She lectures them to change their spirit and shed the spirit of the Beast of dishonesty, disobedience and irresponsibility. She advises them to seek truth and honesty. She accuses them of abandoning their duty for personal gains. Eventually they are arrested by Inspector Tajo. Mossi tried to hide behind Nicole. He is taken to Baneta Express Prison.

S ix. The Blackmail

Mayor Mossi and other leaders try to blackmail Jaden to defend them in court in case they are prosecuted but he fails.

The leaders of Maracus have been accused of several corrupt cases. Mayor Mossi has been accused of municipal capture, the worst form of corruption. Under his leadership, Ted and Seymour supplied air, Seymour used proxies to secure municipal tenders, Ramdaye grabbed public land and Bembe took bribes. The Newspaper have exposed this rot and headlines of the newspapers are damaging their reputation. Mayor Mossi is worries that lobby group comprising of lawyers are calling upon people to volunteer as witnesses and help in the prosecution of those involved in corruption and abuse of office. They are also planning to petition the Local Government Minister, Prime \minister and Chief Justice to take action, this can form a strong basis for their prosecution and conviction. Mayor Mossi agrees with the suggestion that they hack the Samaritan App or accuse it of being a spyware. Jaden tells them it is criminal to do that and no court on earth will support such malicious destruction of private property. Ted even says they are in the mess together but Jaden says he is not a part of it. Despite Mayor MOssi blackmailing him that they all have corrupt scandals ‘skeletons in their closets’, Jaden stood firm. He accuses them of engaging in corrupt scandals carelessly and recklessly and they should not expect him to clean their mess. He leaves the room. This causes fear in Mayor Mossi, he says they are all in danger of presecution and they must do something urgently. They become desperate to an extent of Mossi advising them to plead with Nicole on stopping the App.

In conclusion leaders should be mindful of the citizens’ welfare and avoid injustices to the citizens.