Jan 9 THE MINISTERS DRIVERS SON

Dear Sandra

I promised to write good things if I could. I also promised to write things as they are. Today it was announced in Diena newspaper that our transport minister had appointed his drivers son onto the board of the national railway company. They even made an extra place for him. Now before I was judgemental, I did ask some obvious questions like, was he a railway engineer of 20 years standing, a senior consultant, a financier etc etc? In fact he was none of these and there was really no rational explanation except perhaps general political stupidity or nepotism.

So no matter how beautiful Latvia is, it is spoilt by nonsenses like these. On the 13th January there will be a peaceful political march to the parliament buildings by at least 20 public groups to demand that the current corrupt and inefficient government resigns. In opposition to this and to try to spoil it, some government supporting groups have already created Internet web pages talking about how to make explosives and about bombing the Parliament as a way to cast doubts about the honesty and motives of those marching. This sort of sickness does nothing to help anyone. There are wonderful people in Latvia and they deserve much much better.