Prime Minister's Payday

    By Belta Mantu

    Prime Minister's Payday cover image

    14 Jun, 2024

    a man in a suit sitting at a desk with a pen and paper in his hand and a city in the background, american scene painting, a poster, Bernie D’Andrea, promotional image

    The Prime Minister sat in his office, scanning through the list of the world's highest paid prime ministers. His eyes widened at the figures displayed.

    a man in a suit sitting at a desk in front of a computer and a keyboard in a library, new objectivity, a character portrait, Cleve Gray, promotional image

    He was shocked to see his name among the top twenty. He knew his salary was substantial, but he hadn't realized it was among the highest in the world.

    a group of people sitting at a table in a room with flags and microphones in the background and a speaker in the foreground, neoism, a stock photo, Bryan Organ, movie still

    The Prime Minister shared the list with his advisors. There was a silence in the room as everyone digested the information.

    a group of men sitting around a table in a meeting room with a plaque behind them that says,, assemblage, a stock photo, Carlos Trillo Name, cinematic still

    One of the advisors suggested a public announcement. Transparency, he argued, would win the people's trust. The Prime Minister, however, was hesitant.

    a man and woman sitting on a couch in a living room together, smiling for the camera, with a portrait of them on the wall behind them, precisionism, a portrait, Christopher Perkins, professional photo

    Back home, he shared the news with his wife. She was supportive, but also concerned. The public's reaction could be unpredictable, she warned.

    a man and a woman standing in a room together smiling for the camera, with a portrait of president bush in the background, american scene painting, a portrait, Christopher Perkins, promotional image

    The Prime Minister agreed. He knew the information could be used against him by his political opponents, but he also believed in transparency.

    a man standing at a podium in front of a crowd of people with microphones in front of him, assemblage, a stock photo, Enguerrand Quarton, promotional image

    The next day, he announced his salary and position on the list to the press. The room fell silent, then erupted into a flurry of questions.

    a group of people standing around each other with microphones in front of them and a man in a suit, private press, a stock photo, Enguerrand Quarton, promotional image

    He answered each question calmly, explaining his benefits and the advantages they brought to the country. The conference ended on a positive note.

    a large group of people walking down a street in a city with a television screen on the side of the street, neoism, a digital rendering, David Diao, ultra wide angle

    News of the Prime Minister's salary spread like wildfire. People were surprised, but also appreciative of his honesty.

    a large group of people standing in a street with buildings in the background and a crowd of people in suits, assemblage, a microscopic photo, Andreas Gursky, award - winning photo

    The Prime Minister's political opponents tried to use the news against him, but the public's support for his transparency was stronger.

    a man in a suit sitting at a desk in an office setting with a lamp on the side of the desk, institutional critique, a character portrait, Derek Hill, promotional image

    A few weeks later, the Prime Minister sat in his office, reflecting on the events. He felt a sense of relief and satisfaction.

    a man in a suit sitting at a desk with papers on it and a pen in his hand and a pen in his other hand, precisionism, a photorealistic painting, Bernie D’Andrea, professional photo

    He had taken a risk, but it had paid off. The public trusted him more, and he felt more connected to his people than ever before.

    Prime Minister's Payday