Dear Editor,

The current media debate about the Prime Minister alleged sex scandal reminds me of a fairy tale given to me to read when I was in high school 20 years ago by one of my English teacher from England.

The story was about an Emperor who had a special tailor who told the Emperor that he will make special clothes for him to wear. However the tailor didn't make any clothes for the Emperor and during a parade in the city the Emperor didn't wear any clothes on, but everyone told him how fantastic he looked in all his robes and crowns, etc...A child saw the emperor and yelled, "The Emperor has no clothes." The small child has told the truth whereas the others were too scared and didn't want to offend the Emperor, but only wanted to impress him.

This story portrays what is really happening to our government today. First, our leaders are too proud and ignorant to concede defeat just like the Emperor with no clothes and secondly, most of the public servants knew very well some of the corrupt and immoral practices our leaders had committed but we do not want to admit it for fearing losing our job, or we are paid handsomely so we have to fight with toe and nail to be seen that we are on the boss’s side….even if he is on the wrong side without realizing the very people we are supposed to serve.

Desmond Waita
University of Waikato
Hamilton City
Aotearoa / New Zealand.