Dear Editor, Here we go again. We hear the greedy Members of Parliament from government are trying to push through a constitutional amendment to increase the number of ministers in cabinet from six to eight.

This means another two MPs will have their salary increased from $72,500 to $123,250 (plus allowances) and have at their disposal a ministerial support office which will have an annual budget of more than $308,000 per year. Another two MPs will then be promoted as associate ministers.  

This for a country with a population no bigger than Tokoroa in the North Island of New Zealand.  

If the prime minister is not getting the required work output from any of his current ministers, then I would suggest that he replace them. Simple.  

The PM is using a Cook Islands solution in trying to solve an employment issue; if the employee is not performing, don’t sack them – just employ another person who is probably just as useless. 

As the amendment will need a two-thirds majority to pass, I call on all the Opposition MPs to vote down this proposed change.  

Just on another thing, what ever happened to the MP annual travel and allowances which were expended in September (after only three months)? Were they topped up or not? I know that a few MPs have been travelling over the past month.  

Moana Moeka’a 

Ruatonga.