With London Olympics just a few months away, are the host on track to win the gold? Have they done a better job compared to our 2010 Common Wealth Games (CWG)?
Finances: The cost of hosting London Olympics is grossly underestimated and misrepresented – originally pegged at 2.4 bn pounds, it touched 9.3 bn pounds by 2007 and now it is estimated to cost 13 bn pounds and with upgrade of public transportation it is expected to touch 24 bn pounds. Private-sector contributions are expected to cover only 2% of the expense.
CWG disaster: 2010 CWG was hosted by India and the cost went up by 1575% since the bid was floated. In 2003 the estimated cost was USD 323.19 mn in 2010 the expenses totaled up to USD 11.97 bn, making it the most expensive CWG ever!
Olympic Village: The Olympic village was originally planned to by sponsored by an Australian firm, but the 2008 economic meltdown melted the sponsorship and has now fallen on the taxpayers head & shoulder. Tax payers get to bear the brunt and shortfall of such extravagant affair.
CWG village – stained and un-green: The village was not green and was constructed in the flood plains of Yamuna, flouted norms and was constructed in an ecologically sensitive zone. We know what happened even before the CWG village was thrown open, from pan stains, leaky plumbing to unready apartments. We know how and why building contracts were awarded to certain companies (benamis of politicians) and how the village was allotted to kith and kin of politicians and government officials in the name of lottery.
Murky land deals at London Olympics: The land was sold to a Qatari development company at a subsidy to develop a new urban jungle for the games at a loss of 275 mn pounds to taxpayers. Government and Secretary in-charge have successful created an illusion in the mind of taxpayers that London will inherit a new urban jungle at the end of Olympics and have not been questioned. England or India, doesn’t matter if you are ruled or were ruled by the Queen, the state of affairs seem to remain status quo.
In the name of games: Procure high technology gear, precision weapons, light drones, ammunition and surveillance gear and militarize the city in the name of Olympics. Does the competition for gold and silver require an whopping 1+ bn plus military expense? And next time when someone gets on the podium and say “I declare the games open” you know all about the “games they’ve played!”
There is an underlying belief that games will bring in money, improve trade & tourism, and accelerate the economy, but have we seen any such development in India post CWG?
Even before the game let us look at the medal tally: so, who leads and who won? Is it us hosting CWG or the Queen hosting Olympics? Click here to read more on the Guardian. Venues change but sadly the stories remain the same! For now I look forward to the audit committee reports, court trails and a few officials behind bars for life, that is the only sense of closure for a honest taxpayer.
World Over Corporations and Politicians work in collusion to loot tax payers money and it does not matter whether it is in India or England .A relative of mine from USA boasted that in Western Countries there is no corruption at lower level .I replied that those petty corruptions are more than compensated by the Huge Corporate Corruptions and Manipulations of the entire Financial Sector by the fat cats in collaboration with the Political Class and the victims are common man and the 2008 Global Financial disaster is a case in Point .
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