About a year ago there was a meeting of all the EU Ministers of Development in Italy. The Greek and Italian Ministers got on particularly well and one evening the Italian Minister invited the Greek Minister back to his house for a meal. When the Greek Minister arrived at the house he was astounded. It was a massive villa with twelve rooms all with marble floors. The house was full of Italian antique furniture. There were beautiful marble pillars surrounding a portico leading out to a fabulous garden stocked with the most exotic plants. Shocked the Greek Minister said "I know that an Italian Minister's pay is not that large so how can you afford to own a villa as beautiful as this?" The Italian Minister led him over to a huge picture window, which overlooked the valley, and pointed to a massive suspension bridge which carried a four-lane highway across the valley, thus avoiding the old winding road down both sides. “You see that bridge? Twenty percent of the cost of that bridge went into my pocket!” He winked, smiled broadly and they went in for their meal.
Recently, the next meeting of ministers was held in Greece. Having had such a good time in Italy, the Greek Minister of Development invited his Italian counterpart back to his house for a meal. The Italian Minister was stunned. The Greek Minister’s Vila was three times as big as his own. Everything about it was far superior. “I know” said the Italian Minister “that in Greece you are paid even less than we are in Italy, so how can you possibly afford such a magnificent mansion?” The Greek Minister led the Italian Minister down the garden to a platform that had stunning views of the plateau below. “You see that airfield?” said the Greek Minister. “No I cannot see any airfield,” replied the Italian Minister looking confused. “Exactly”, said the Greek Minister, smiling and patting his pocket, “the airfield was never built!”
;-) Warwick
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