THIRD WORLD BRITAIN OR QATAR?

I have just been reading the sports page of the morning papers, and there before my eyes was a picture of British ex-servicemen sleeping rough on the streets.

Well, that isn’t strictly true although it might well have been.

The photograph was in fact a group of migrant workers sleeping rough on the streets of Qatar, having completed a hard day’s work building the facilities for the 2022 world cup.

The headlines were pretty much to be expected, as anything that reflects badly on FIFA’s decision to hold the event in the Middle East is fair game, and the slightest hint of unbiased reporting is highly unlikely.

David Beckham is currently the media whipping boy as he is acting in an ambassadorial role for the tournament – at least he presents an acceptable image for the tournament and the money isn’t too bad either.

DEATH IN THE DESERT was the headline, followed by the report that “Immigrant workers are paid a measly 12 pounds a day.”

Now don’t get me wrong, I accept that such a small amount is unacceptable for one of the richest per capita countries in the world, but the continued media attack on Qatar is becoming tiresome and unbalanced.

As unpalatable as reality can sometimes be, it has to be assumed that both pay and possibly even conditions are somewhat better than from whence they came.

Here in Thailand, thousands of Burmese and Cambodian workers are paid 7 pounds a day in the construction industry simply because the government imposed minimum wage only applies to Thais, and Thai men have an aversion to work, leaving most of the heavy labouring jobs to the women as they stand around smoking.

The workers in the service industry, which includes both mini and supermarkets, receive 9 pounds a day, and the vast majority of them haven’t earned a single penny for the last 18 months – that is why they are either sleeping rough in shop doorways or queueing for free food handouts.

One other thing you delusional, biased, agenda pushing journalist.

I have worked all my life and contributed thousands of pounds to the British economy by way of taxes and national insurance contributions, as have the many people that I employed, I have also been in the military and guess what?

The government deems it acceptable to pay me a pension of LESS THAN 20 POUNDS A DAY, not even enough to afford a tiny bedsit in much of the country.

I have friends who for whatever reason are paid a pension of less than 12 pounds a day.

Were I unfortunate enough to still live in England and be forced to survive on such a pitiful allowance, I would probably be like those poor Qatari migrant workers and be sleeping rough on the streets along with the many British ex-servicemen.

No, not really.

I would fly to France, hop on a raft to England and spend the rest of my life in the comfort of a 4* hotel being fed 3 meals a day and having a decent cigarette and beer allowance.

Perhaps someone should inform those Qatari chaps that working for a living is a mugs game and welcome them to the British Eldorado where the streets to the benefits office are paved with gold.