Name of the week, hysterical irony edition

by Jake Quinn

Immigration officers have given police new information on National MP Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi’s alleged involvement in an immigration scam

So said the Herald’s front page this morning.  Herald staff should be wholeheartedly congratulated for running the story about a National MP facing allegations of dodgy behaviour whose name is remarkably similar to the Persian word for ‘charity’ or as it’s more commonly known, ‘dodgy backhand deals’, all whilst keeping a straight face.

In India, if you were, for instance, trying to run an immigration scam you would pass the immigration official some ‘baksheesh’.  Interesting parallels.

In other news,  I couldn’t possibly run a post titled ‘Name of the week, hysterical irony edition’ without at least a cursory mention of the Acting National Party President Peter Goodfellow who has his knickers in a twist.  What an awful pickle.

“Time will tell how bland I am,” he told reporters after his election, “but I think I am a safe pair of hands.”