It has been observed by many commentators that public cynicism towards the political and financial communities has increased greatly since the economic collapse in 2008.
But who could blame people for their cynicism when they hear comments like that recently made by deputy chairman of AIB Dr. Michael Somers when speaking about the possibility of debt write-offs.
Quoted in the Sunday Independent the good Dr. said he was not anxious to see AIB writing off loads of debt any time soon.
Why was that, he was asked?
It’s taxpayers’ money said the good Dr., and I want to see as much of that money as possible returned to the taxpayer.
My goodness such concern for the taxpayers’ of Ireland had me in tears.
How times and attitudes have changed. There was a time when bankers were only interested in ruthlessly raking in as much profit as possible no matter how destructive their greed was to customer or country.
Surely I thought, the return of Jesus Christ himself cannot be far off when he will confer sainthood on bankers for their self-sacrifice in saving the common people of Ireland from a fate worse than, well…worse than that of struggling to survive under the yoke of ruthless bankers.
And saint Somers was quick to point out that it’s only current bankers who will be saved, who will avoid the fires of bankers’ hell.
Speaking of those dastardly villain bankers who caused all the trouble in the first place saint Somers said:
Most of the guys who were around at the time deserve to be beaten up.
Beaten up, my goodness and to think there are so many nasty cynics going around claiming that no banker will face justice.