One night in the Shard

Sir, – Thomas Piketty’s analysis (Capital in the Twenty-First Century) of global income inequality is brought into sharp relief with the news today that a one-night stay in the hotel located in London’s Shard building will cost you £14,000. According to the World Bank Development Indicators 2008, half the world’s population lives on $2.50 a day. £14,000 is worth $23,728, which divided by $2.50 gives 9,491 days. Dividing this by 365 gives 26 years. One night in the Shard costs the amount of money that half of the world’s population live on for 26 years. – Yours, etc,

DEBRA JAMES,

Primrose Lodge,

Cummerduff,

Gorey, Co Wexford.