Corruption: the canker that eats away at progress

On my visit to India, I was struck once more how much corruption dominates everyday life, from the very poor water supply in Kalimpong and Darjeeling, to the unsurfaced roads in Sikkim. In the 40 odd years I have been visiting the region, daily life gets no easier. The only improvement I can see is that middle class people now have access to mortgages so they can build themselves better houses, but they live in a society where everyone is working for themselves. No-one seems to be working for the community as a whole. Those with power abuse their power, and there is no-one untainted by corruption able or willing to hold corrupt officials to account. The result is a feeling of helplessness in society – of ordinary people not being in control of their lives.