12:40pm Wednesday 19th May 2010
By Ziggy
A fair few of us own land and properties abroad in countries like Pakistan, India and Bangladesh and some of us even in Dubai.
The homes are normally referred to as kotees (plush villas, sometimes four five storeys high!).
Now, I have no issue with people making sure properties are well kept.
What I find quite repulsive is how these same people will then plead poverty everytime you speak to them.
They shop at the cheapest store, are complete scrooges and make their family over here work like dogs to save money to build another storey on to their kotee!
The whole process boggles the mind. The funny thing is these homes are usually left empty for the local cats and dogs to roam around in. Or for some relative to squat in.
Some owners meanwhile return to the UK to sign on or collect their tax credits and grants. Hey, you know it happens!
Many villages in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh are littered with these Kotees, which get occupied for a couple of weeks during the year. Some get so competitive and aim to outdo one another by building grander homes.
Some even get a flash car and then don’t fix the road outside the village!
I don’t have a problem with people doing well for themselves and living like kings.
But what annoys me is when they get a lot of their income through illegitimate means and then boast about it as though the rest of us are dumb.
Also, I am sick of hearing people saying that they and their kids are going to go back and settle there.
I have a couple of answers to those points. Why not go now? Most will not, due to the system of corruption and a fair few don’t actually like their relatives. That’s why they came here in the first place. And finally, the way things are going your kids will probably offload that property for a couple of pounds to pay for a kitchen extension. People, I have already seen it happen.
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