Whose Mess is it? By Grace Makoko

In his teenage years, my elder brother got into trouble at school and daddy was asked to go over to the school to meet the headmaster and agree on appropriate disciplinary measures. Apparently, Alan had skipped class purportedly for health reasons and was caught smoking in the dormitory by none other than the headmaster. What irked the headmaster most is that Alan did not attempt to hide his cigarette and simply continued to smoke as he lay on his bed? When he was told that he had committed a grave offense and that the school would have to call in his parents the young man did not appear perturbed -there was a good reason for his indifference. Daddy was a chain smoker.
Have you noticed that Sovereigns or countries that are heavily in debt have citizens that are heavily in debt? Majority of populations in the developed nations in the West (with the Americans taking the lead) are in debt up to their eyeballs and guess what? These western governments are also heavily in debt and keep borrowing. In the case of the USA, they keep pushing up the debt ceiling to accommodate more borrowing. Most of Europe has this problem, with Greece making headlines and continuously having to get bail outs from the other Euro family members to avoid defaulting on their debt. Sadly the people being called to put them on the straight and narrow find themselves in daddy’s awkward position since for the most part they are just as addicted to debt as the Greeks. I must hasten to point out that just like friends and family of smokers are adversely affected by cigarette smoke, the Germans find themselves in the position of the passive smoker having to suffer the consequences of the behaviour of their errant neighbours. Germans have a strong savings culture and their government’s debt levels are well managed. Is this not a classic case of Like begets Like?
Let us come closer home; as our honourable members try to make sense of the public finances and government spending, as they attempt to bring much needed discipline and accountability to the way the executive handle tax payers’ money, should we not open our eyes to the fact that junior has also contracted daddy’s bad habit of financial indiscipline.
What does your personal balance sheet look like? Are you spending money you don’t have? Are you budgeting and not keeping within budget. Do you really need to take out that loan? Are you sure you are not living beyond your means? Are you investing for the future, saving before you spend? Do you know how much you are paying in interest on your mortgage, your car loan, your personal/salary loan? Are you aware that you are paying a floating rate of interest not a fixed rate of interest on these loans? Have you taken money meant for the road(s)to your financial freedom and spent it on fast cars, fast women and fast living?
What about spending UPE- Urgent Personal financial Education -money on flashy clothes and outfits. Clearly you want to look smart and dress well, more than you want to be financially smart and intelligent. Are you spending money meant for your health on an unhealthy lifestyle, eating fast food, not exercising, buying second hand reconditioned cars that pollute the air and putting personalized number plates on them?
Sadly (broadly speaking) even if I turn you in to the police or report you to your member of parliament, your LC3 Chairman, your RDC or even your government, to take disciplinary action against you, they are likely to have no moral authority because you see it’s a case of “like father like son.