As someone deeply invested in Singapore's future, Imagethief has been saddened by outbursts of anger and resentment generated by the hefty pay raises recently awarded to Singaporean ministers by Singaporean ministers.

Sure, at first glance it might appear ruinously politically tone deaf, self-serving and nauseatingly lavish by virtually any reasonable standard. You might interpret it as the blinkered move of a government that has no real opposition and only featherweight media scrutiny and has thus become dismissive of public sentiment and dangerously out of touch with the concerns of its electorate.

But that is unfair.

As always, Singapore's government is thinking of you, the little people. Joe Average. Or, in Singapore, perhaps that would be Chou Average. Anyway, you get my point.

As you no doubt know, Singapore has been working hard to build up a private banking and wealth management industry. Indeed, serving as an offshore banking center is seen by Singapore's government as a critical pillar of the city-state's future economic growth.

In order for the government to ensure that these services are delivered at the very highest level of quality --the level that Singaporean pride demands-- it is important that ministers be able to personally evaluate them. Only by scrutinizing private banking businesses first hand will they gain a true window into the development of the industry, and be able to guide and regulate it effectively.

Obviously the best way to ensure that this scrutiny is unbiased, unblinking and rigorous is for ministers to risk their own money. Anything else would simply be irresponsible. By ensuring that Singapore's public servants are properly equipped to personally evaluate the private banking and wealth management industries, the government is looking after your economic future.

And frankly I'm shocked that you ungrateful wretches would think anything else.