"It's now official that Members of Parliament may receive generously funded trips for medical treatment overseas in addition to their full salaries.A regulation that has been enforced since January, but was just passed by Parliament on Monday, 10 October, guarantees that a member who has to go overseas for specialised medical treatment, would be awarded free medical treatment, two return Business Class airline tickets, along with daily allowances, transport allowances and rent allowances for the first 14 days. A further extension of the allowances will be granted once the Speaker receives a letter from an overseas doctor. Meanwhile, the member would continue to receive his fortnightly pay-packets.
Sangster Saulala told the House that the amount of money a member would be getting while on a medical treatment overseas was phenomenal. In addition to a $400 a day per diem for the first 14 days the sick MP would continue to receive a $1,600 fortnight salary. "If one gets $7,200 a fortnight while lying in a hospital overseas, I think that is ridiculous." He said.
It means that a member would earn more in a sick bed overseas than in Tonga struggling with the issues of how to repay government loans, what to do with the rising unemployment, and a depleting government tax resource base as local industries are closing down.
And I wonder why they cant afford to buy BP cuffs!
