Ministers' Pay: An International Issue

"Low salaries will draw in the hypocrites who sweet talk their way into power in the name of public service, but once in charge will show their true colour, and ruin the country."

~~ Minister Mentor, Lee Kuan Yew.




I flipped through the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index and noticed that 4 countries have consistently fared above us each time from 2001 through 2006.

They are Denmark, Finland, Iceland and New Zealand.

Comparing in-corruptible official to another in the apple-to-apple sense, will be a logical direction to head when dealing with their remuneration package.

How about our ministers should be paid 2/3 of their counterparts’ salaries in Denmark, Finland, Iceland and New Zealand?

I presumed the income tax rate in European countries (3/4 of countries above us in CPI ranking) are much higher than ours here.

I have not research on the salaries of government ministers in those countries.

I hope someone can enlighten me.



Reference:

1. Transparency International CPI
http://www.transparency.org/policy_research/surveys_indices/cpi

2. MM Lee speach to the National Trade Union Congress July 19 1996
http://www.fcpp.org/main/publication_detail_print.php?PubID=693

3. The picture on top is courtesy from Anonymous
Blogger Comment

4. Minister Pay benchmark 1994
SG Democrat
hkchital webby