THE World Economic Forum (WEF) has been holding annual meetings for 40 years, its mission stated as one of being “committed to improving the state of the world”. The forum members consist of representatives from the 1,000 top global corporations plus invited political participants. Since the prime responsibility of corporations is to protect the interests and investments of their shareholders one can only imagine that is a difficult balancing act to accomplish.

Viewed in the light of Oxfam’s recent revelations of the increasing polarisation of global wealth, much of it in the hands of a few billionaires (“ Eight billionaires are rich as half world’s population, says charity”, The Herald, January 19) one is forced to conclude that WEF and its bedmate Bilderberg are not improving the situation. It also begs the question of how these unelected supra-national organisations aim to exert their influence on democratically elected governments and whether we will ever be told.

David J Crawford,

Flat 3/3 131 Shuna Street, Glasgow.