![[Paul Lismore] The unctuous hypocrisy of the words of our politicians...](https://www.zinfos-moris.com/photo/art/grande/60760957-44434200.jpg?v=1638544792 "[Paul Lismore] The unctuous hypocrisy of the words of our politicians...")
![[Paul Lismore] The unctuous hypocrisy of the words of our politicians...](https://www.zinfos-moris.com/photo/art/default/60760957-44434200.jpg?v=1638544794 "[Paul Lismore] The unctuous hypocrisy of the words of our politicians...")
Remember Xavier Duval's loud declaration that he will give up his 13th month salary, but only if the government gives a 14th month salary to all health service workers?
As soon as I heard that, I knew that Zaza's 13th month baksheesh of around an extra Rs 300,000 will remain safely in his pockets. Why? Because
1/ our economy is in Shit Street, and the thieves in power are taking care for themselves of the little that is now left 2/ Our hospital consultants are extremely well paid, and the junior and less senior doctors supplement their already quite substantial salaries with plenty of overtime. 3/ In these days of Covid, I can see a case for nurses, health care assistants, cleaners and others at the bottom rung of the ladder to get some financial recognition for their efforts, but a 14th month salary for everyone in the health services?
Can you hear the police, the fire services, the Prison Service etc all asking for the same 14th month, parski nou oussi nou travay? I am afraid that not even Santa Claus will be able to give that from the little that is left in our Treasury.
So, the government has predictably refused and Xavier can have an excellent Xmas with the Rs 600,000 he will get in December. I do however have some ideas of what he should do with the extra Rs 300,000 that he was prepared to forgo. If he really meant it, there is nothing stopping him from
1/ Leading by example and using the Rs 300,000 to help the hungry.
2/ Persuading the MLAs in the PTr, and the PMSD/MMM/Bodha Alliance to also give their 13th month bonus to the hungry. Not actual money, but distributing food to people who, unlike our politicians, will have a crap Xmas.
3/ Hopefully, the ministers/PPS, and parliamentarians of the government will feel enough shame and will copy the opposition.
The Prime Minister's and Deputy Prime Minister's combined 13th month bonus totals roughly Rs 1 million and that won't even make a dent in the fortunes of these people if they decide instead to do the Christmassy thing and help the poor.
4/ Can you imagine it? 70 parliamentarians x an average of Rs 300,000 per 13th month equals Rs 21,000,000. Rs 21 millions will go a long way to ensuring that no one goes hungry this Xmas, or that poor people will for once have plenty of food in their miserable surroundings on that special day.
Don't tell me that rich people, and our parliamentarians are certainly rich, will miss one extra month of their salary, a bonus which does not reflect their laziness in being in the National assembly for less than half the year...
Xavier Duval has inadvertently shown us that he and, by extension, every politician in the National Assembly can do without their 13th month. But attaching that " sacrifice" to a government course of action which was never going to happen smacks of hypocrisy and unctuousness.
If he really feels that he can do without Rs 300,000 as his 13th month bonus, well done! But that noble and patrician gesture commands our respect ONLY if he actually does it. Using it as a political trick to embarrass a government which has wasted so much of our money that there is none left is too calculating and rather deceitful.
Abandoning your 13th month bonus as a gesture to change government policy is silly and rather manipulative and self serving.
If you don't need your 13th month Joe, share it with the poor, or through the many organisations and individuals who, day in day out, voluntarily cook for and feed those who society has abandoned.
As soon as I heard that, I knew that Zaza's 13th month baksheesh of around an extra Rs 300,000 will remain safely in his pockets. Why? Because
1/ our economy is in Shit Street, and the thieves in power are taking care for themselves of the little that is now left 2/ Our hospital consultants are extremely well paid, and the junior and less senior doctors supplement their already quite substantial salaries with plenty of overtime. 3/ In these days of Covid, I can see a case for nurses, health care assistants, cleaners and others at the bottom rung of the ladder to get some financial recognition for their efforts, but a 14th month salary for everyone in the health services?
Can you hear the police, the fire services, the Prison Service etc all asking for the same 14th month, parski nou oussi nou travay? I am afraid that not even Santa Claus will be able to give that from the little that is left in our Treasury.
So, the government has predictably refused and Xavier can have an excellent Xmas with the Rs 600,000 he will get in December. I do however have some ideas of what he should do with the extra Rs 300,000 that he was prepared to forgo. If he really meant it, there is nothing stopping him from
1/ Leading by example and using the Rs 300,000 to help the hungry.
2/ Persuading the MLAs in the PTr, and the PMSD/MMM/Bodha Alliance to also give their 13th month bonus to the hungry. Not actual money, but distributing food to people who, unlike our politicians, will have a crap Xmas.
3/ Hopefully, the ministers/PPS, and parliamentarians of the government will feel enough shame and will copy the opposition.
The Prime Minister's and Deputy Prime Minister's combined 13th month bonus totals roughly Rs 1 million and that won't even make a dent in the fortunes of these people if they decide instead to do the Christmassy thing and help the poor.
4/ Can you imagine it? 70 parliamentarians x an average of Rs 300,000 per 13th month equals Rs 21,000,000. Rs 21 millions will go a long way to ensuring that no one goes hungry this Xmas, or that poor people will for once have plenty of food in their miserable surroundings on that special day.
Don't tell me that rich people, and our parliamentarians are certainly rich, will miss one extra month of their salary, a bonus which does not reflect their laziness in being in the National assembly for less than half the year...
Xavier Duval has inadvertently shown us that he and, by extension, every politician in the National Assembly can do without their 13th month. But attaching that " sacrifice" to a government course of action which was never going to happen smacks of hypocrisy and unctuousness.
If he really feels that he can do without Rs 300,000 as his 13th month bonus, well done! But that noble and patrician gesture commands our respect ONLY if he actually does it. Using it as a political trick to embarrass a government which has wasted so much of our money that there is none left is too calculating and rather deceitful.
Abandoning your 13th month bonus as a gesture to change government policy is silly and rather manipulative and self serving.
If you don't need your 13th month Joe, share it with the poor, or through the many organisations and individuals who, day in day out, voluntarily cook for and feed those who society has abandoned.
