Meritocracy Egyptian Style

A few weeks ago the Egyptian Justice Minister said in a television interview that the sons of rubbish collectors - even after completing the relevant studies - could never be judges as they would feel uncomfortable in that environment. He was roundly condemned in social media and forced to resign.

A few days later it was announced that over a hundred early-career judges who had finished their first stage of study and passed the relevant exams would not be issued with their diplomas as a new retrospective requirement had been introduced, namely, that their fathers had to hold a university degree in order for them to receive their diplomas.

The new Justice Minister, who was head of the Judges' Association during Mubarak's time in absolute power and opposed all attempts to reform the judiciary, gave an interview over the weekend in which he said, 'Whatever represents an attack on the judiciary's prestige, dignity and respect will not pass lightly. On the land of this nation, we are the masters and the rest are the slaves . . . whoever burns a judge's photo will have his heart, his memory and his shadow burned from Egypt's land.'

He had previously entered the nepotism debate by saying, 'We will not stop appointing sons of judges whether people like it or not. Sons of judges will be appointed every year and there isn't a power in Egypt that can stop this ''holy march'' to the judiciary.'

So rising on merit in this country can be challenging. Almost as challenging as crossing the road . . . we are passing the chap in the photograph at nearly fifty miles per hour. He has got close to us - note the car travelling equally fast behind him - to take advantage of the gap behind our car and the following one that he has weighed up carefully to use as part of his route across these six lanes of traffic just outside where Dd works. A keen mind that will not be denied in this context. It's a pity such minds can be denied in so many others.