NewsCurry Breaking news and serving it up in pieces
Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne has embarked on a fundraising drive to help MPs in the Philippines purchase luxury vehicles after being made aware that they are suffering having been lumbered with just a Toyota van in order to carry out their official duties.
On hearing the news that incoming Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte has instructed all ministers to downgrade their vehicles, Minister Senaratne said, “Despite our financial and economic woes we must be thankful as a nation that we have not had to resort to such measures that are being implemented in the Philippines. This will be such an embarrassment for their ministers. We must show solidarity which is why that we should increase taxes further so that we can help those ministers purchase luxury vehicles. I cannot imagine the inconvenience they are going through. It’s almost as bad as not having a mobile phone allowance.”
“I do not know how they will be able to serve their constituents in these vehicles. Without the latest top of the range vehicles with mod cons that our ministers are blessed with they will only be able to go to about 100 meters. Several of our ministers have complained that it is difficult to turn left or right, cool drinks or have full surround sound without luxury vehicles and they won’t be able to discharge their duties effectively,” he added.
One Filipino Minister said, “After hearing the news about our new vehicle policy I feel I should give up my political career in the Philippines and move to Sri Lanka. They treat their MPs better by providing them vehicles that allow them to have meetings in the middle of a jungle if they need to. They also spend most of their time at press conferences and don’t have to do actual work.”
