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{
    "id": 193184,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/193184/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 169,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Kenneth",
    "speaker_title": "The Assistant Minister, Ministry of State for Planning, National Development and Vision 2030",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 167,
        "legal_name": "Peter Kenneth",
        "slug": "peter-kenneth"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I know of hon. Members in this House, personally included, who spend all their salaries in their constituencies! Therefore, let us not make it an issue of creating a conflict between the electorate and the people they elected. If it is a law that requires to be amended, let it be brought on the Floor of this House. If it has the support of the hon. Members, it will be supported! But let us not create an issue that seems as if somebody is trying to look for a mechanism to create a conflict between the people who elected us just five months ago! So, let us not politicise or try to play to the gallery on issues that are in everybody's heart and which concern every hon. Member! After all, we are talking about 224 hon. Members. We should have been told about the tax implication and how much it will amount to per month and year. We need to be told how much it will bring in every year in terms of gross revenue, rather than create a hype that when the taxation comes in, there is nothing much to talk about! Therefore, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I want to appeal to the Minister: Let us not play to the public gallery any more! Let him bring the law here. Let him say what he wants to amend. Let us debate it here and look at the cost-benefits! That is because when you look at it, the salary of an hon. Member--- It has been said that it is high and I agree with that. It is not subject to any increment in the five years that an hon. Member is seated here. It does not take care of the inflation costs that are rising in this country and you expect these hon. Members--- This is what the Minister should look at! He will do the taxation, but he will also face the same Parliamentary Service Commission saying that the cost of fuel is so much; the cost of living is so much, and he will have to review it. So, he has to balance the two. The cost of living, on one side, is going up and he wants to do a taxation. But I am saying this on behalf of this House: Let us not politicise it! June 18, 2008 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 1221 Let us face it! Let us not take it to the media as a war against us! We are willing to support him, but let him bring the law here and we discuss it! That way, we can look for a way to move ahead. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, with those few remarks, I beg to support."
}