[Tepelaziun] For the Seneschal Regarding the Ministreu dal Zefençù

[Baron Alexandreu Davinescu]

Estimat Seneschal:

I believe the Zuavs is an important Talossan institution.  I designed it and led it to some significant success, and I was hoping that my successors would be able to keep it going.  But as soon as I left office, it became utterly stagnant and nothing happened with it.  Nothing happened under Ministreu Börnatfiglheu, who didn't have the time.  Okay.  But I didn't want to see it neglected, and so I began urging the next Ministreu dal Zefençù, Gödafrïeu Valcádac'h, to do something with the Zuavs.  I began asking for this starting in October, nine months ago.  The Government told me directly that something would be done in January, whenever Ministreu Valcádac'h was able to get to it.  Every time I brought it up, I was told that action was imminent.  But nothing happened, and then I was told that it was election time and nothing could happen.

I was stonewalled for the entire 56th Cosa.

Okay.  Well, there was an election.  A fresh start (sort of) and a new beginning.  I let the whole thing go and hoped for better things in the future.  And in May, you appointed outgoing Seneschal Txoteu Davinescu to your Cabinet as Ministreu dal Zefençù:

FROM THE OFFICE OF THE SENESCHAL

Fellow Talossans,

I hereby make the following appointments to the Cabinet:
...
DEFENCE - Txoteu Davinescu
...
Signed,
Ian Plätschisch, Seneschal

Okay, well, everyone deserves a second chance.

Unfortunately, nothing happened afterwards, and it didn't appear that there was any activity.  The Ministreu dal Zefençù didn't post on Wittenberg at all.  That's not necessarily terrible, since a lot might have been happening behind the scenes.  I think that everyone deserves the benefit of the doubt, and we should try to be as understanding as possible.  We all know that folks can get temporarily busy or sick.

In early June, MC Breneir Tzaracomprada, Leader of His Majesty's Loyal Opposition, posed a terpelaziun to the Ministreu dal Zefençù about his activity, asking what he planned on accomplishing.  The Ministreu replied with a list of items:

My apologizes for the delay as my industry has been insanely busy in recent weeks with all the storms in my part of Maricopa. Now, to the Ministry's plans for the coming term:

1) Work with the College of Arms for an Achievement to be granted to the Zouaves incorporating a crown, crossed bedposts, and the official name in Talossan,

2) Work with the current active members of the Zouaves to develop a working, formal structure that will allow efficient, internal management of the Guard,

3) Work with the Ziu to get legislation through to both correct the spelling in all formal documents as well as enshrine both the Zouaves and the rest of the Talossan military's formal ranks into law,

4) Develop a formal system of awards and honors for the Defence Ministry, encompassing military and civil awards for service in the Ministry and to the Crown,

5) Move forward with the selection and approval of ranks/insignia of the Zouaves ( https://talossamainstreet.weebly.com/ranks.html ) or something of the like.

Fair enough!  Many of these sound like useful goals, especially if they are accompanied by active management of the Zuavs.  But by the end of the month, none of these goals had been accomplished.  The Ministreu dal Zefençù didn't actually post on Wittenberg at all after answering the legally-mandated terpelaziun, and the Zuavs sat stagnant.

This was disconcerting, and I asked you about the status of things:

The Ministreu dal Zefençù has only posted once in the past couple of months, and nothing at all has happened in that ministry as far as I can tell.  Recent applicants to the Zuavs don't seem to have gone anywhere, and are not reflected on that organization's rolls.  The entire thing seems to be defunct once more.  His lone post was in response to a terpelaziun, and said that he was busy at work -- okay, but surely after the last eight months we can't be expected to give him the benefit of the doubt, right?

And you replied that you expected the Ministreu dal Zefençù to begin doing his job the next week.

The Minister of Defense has assured me that he will soon be getting a lot less busy at work, and will proceed to tackling one of the coalition agreement items for his Ministry every week. He will also start more actively managing the Zuavs. He will gladly answer additional Terps directed at him.

1. Based on the conversations we've had, I expect the Minister of Defense to begin work next week.

I accepted this reply, satisfied that you were actively managing the situation and we could expect some activity.  Unfortunately, again there was nothing, and soon it was July.  Again, this isn't unforgivable, but we're starting to strain the limits of credulity.

MC Tzaracomprada followed up with the Ministreu dal Zefençù, again asking when he expected to get to work.  The Ministreu answered that he would get around to it next week:

I plan on getting together with the Captain next week to go over development ... To be discussed with the Captain next week. ... Thank you again for your question. As to curating & promotions, these will also be discussed with the Captain next week.

It's been almost two more weeks since then.  And nothing has happened.  Since the start of his time in office, the Ministreu dal Zefençù has posted only twice, when he was legally compelled to do so.

I am sure that the Ministreu dal Zefençù has the best of intentions, and that you do as well.  I know it is hard to find anyone to work in this Government at this point, and I respect that your limited resources are stretched thin.  But I think we deserve to actually know what's going on, as opposed to more promises.  I think the Zuavs are actually important and useful, and we need to know if the Government actually thinks so, too.  We're way past the time when we can reasonably still be giving the benefit of the doubt, especially given the past.

I am disinterested in just letting this slide for another entire term.  I am dissatisfied as a Member of Cosa with the way things are being managed.  And I am disinclined as a citizen of Talossa to accept this treatment by my Government.

Estimat Seneschal, the Government promised that "Cabinet Ministers who fail to carry out their agreed duties will be required to give an explanation to the Ziu, or else resign."  This promise might ring a little hollow after last term, but I still feel compelled to ask with this terpelaziun:

How have you addressed this issue with the Ministreu dal Zefençù, who was absent as Seneschal most of last term and now appears to be absent in his new office?

[Þon Txoteu É. Davinescu, O.SPM]

I sincerely wish that the Baron was as concerned about the King's absence for months as he was for my absence of two weeks. I have been dealing with a mental health crisis as of late... sorry for that being an "dissatisfying" issue for the Baron. I would be more than happy to relinquish the Mantle of Minster of Defence, if that is what the Baron wishes. That would free me to focus on my Senate duties for this term before stepping away from Talossa completely. Part of my mental health issues arise from dealing with the near daily hostility in Talossa and I was, after a break from the relentless spitefulness, actually feeling like myself again. I desire nothing more than to remove as much negativity from my life.

I agreed to take the job, as I agreed to be Prime Minister. I intended do MY job... even when the King blatantly refused to do his by showing up and being involved in HIS job, not passing the buck to you! I've lost a Grandparent to COVID, lost my job, survived COVID myself, four COVID scares at my girls' school... all the while dealing with people attempting to blow holes in my first Administration and then try to find my place again... even the motivation to even stay.

Why? Why would anyone want to willingly stay and put up with the nasty, ridiculous backstabbing and personal attacks placed on members of the government and even citizens mainly by one party. I didn't post because for my health, I actively avoided almost all things Talossa not DIRECTLY related to my job. It isn't fun anymore, its not a joy to come here anymore. It's a punishment to have to come and see a party actively for nothing more than spite, attack the government and individuals. I'm an American by birth and a Coast Guardsmen of nearly 15 years... someone that understands service and military likely better than anyone in Talossa. I've also watched my home country tear itself apart thanks to the actions of a single political ideology. I came to Talossa to escape... and that ideology followed me here in the form of the TNC.

I'm happy to do my job, something I have been working on for the better part of decade. Building a well-structured Talossan MinDef. But let me do my goddamn job. Don't pointlessly blast the government with time wasting requests from the government just to make yourselves feel important! That kind of bullshit interference starts out annoying and pointless wastes of time and, in America, ended in women losing the right to control their own bodies! Political interference for the sheer purpose of governmental obstruction is ridiculous and unlike in my home country where I can't just up and leave, will cost Talossa citizens and likely already has.

The Honours System will be posted in the Defence Section for review on August 1st along with the Ranks. I will have the spelling corrections completed and ready for the Ziu in a month from today, if not before. The Request for Arms is almost finished and will be submitted this week. And lastly, the Captain will have a rank structure and org table for approval by August 1.

You want me to stay, I'll stay... but I'm 40 goddamn years old with a Masters Degree. I don't have anymore time in my life to argue with children! If I want to argue with kids, I have a 8 & 9 year old at home.

Davinescu   

[Ian Plätschisch]

Honorable Tuischac'h,

The Minister of Defense has made this declaration:

The Honours System will be posted in the Defence Section for review on August 1st along with the Ranks. I will have the spelling corrections completed and ready for the Ziu in a month from today, if not before. The Request for Arms is almost finished and will be submitted this week. And lastly, the Captain will have a rank structure and org table for approval by August 1.

If any of these projects are not completed by the promised time, the Honorable Minister will be dismissed and replaced immediately.

Ian Plätschisch,
Seneschal

[Baron Alexandreu Davinescu]

Right Honourable Ministreu Davinescu:

Thank you for chiming in with your perspective.  While my question was not directed to you, I appreciate you providing your own position.

You mention a number of circumstances that have prevented you from beginning your work, and I'm very sorry to hear about your problems.  In March, approaching the end of your time as Seneschal, you mentioned some of these same issues, as well, and many of them are quite serious and need your full attention.  No one can fault you for taking time to deal with these difficulties over this past year.  A change of work, sickness, parenting challenges -- those are all more important than your work as Ministreu dal Zefençù, and you should prioritize them.

But I would suggest that it might be appropriate to tell the people that you were having some personal difficulties that were delaying your work, even if you don't care to get into specifics.  A mental health issue, getting sick with COVID, your daughters' schooling, changing jobs to a difficult new one, and the loss of a grandparent -- my goodness!  That's a lot, and no one would fault you for being unable to work as Ministreu dal Zefençù in Talossa during these times.

If you thought the difficulties would continue for a while, it would also have made sense to consider either appointing a deputy to act in your absence, or else resigning until you were able to find time, depending on what you thought the outlook for the future might be.

But I'm not sure it was a good idea to simply remain silent and ignore the job.  That's not going to help you, since then you know that you've got these other responsibilities hanging over your head during such an incredibly difficult time.  And it's not going to help Talossa, since nothing is getting done.

I understand that you might feel frustrated when someone calls you out about this, especially if you're dealing with so many other things.  But it's been two months of broken promises, not two weeks.  And no one's personally attacking you.  It's just... you weren't doing your job at all, ministreu!  We're already a third of the way through this term.  How long should we have just let this slide?

Please, if you are unable in the future to attend to your duties, let us know and make suitable arrangements.  The Government doesn't belong to you, and it can't just be put into your pocket when you're not using it.  It belongs to the people of Talossa.

The Honours System will be posted in the Defence Section for review on August 1st along with the Ranks. I will have the spelling corrections completed and ready for the Ziu in a month from today, if not before. The Request for Arms is almost finished and will be submitted this week. And lastly, the Captain will have a rank structure and org table for approval by August 1.

In addition to various plans for reorganizing things, I wonder if you will also be able to ensure that the Zuavs are actively managed?  You don't mention that in these plans, but it seems to me that no amount of awards or ranks or reorganizations will be helpful unless someone is running things.

[Baron Alexandreu Davinescu]

Honorable Tuischac'h,

The Minister of Defense has made this declaration:

The Honours System will be posted in the Defence Section for review on August 1st along with the Ranks. I will have the spelling corrections completed and ready for the Ziu in a month from today, if not before. The Request for Arms is almost finished and will be submitted this week. And lastly, the Captain will have a rank structure and org table for approval by August 1.

If any of these projects are not completed by the promised time, the Honorable Minister will be dismissed and replaced immediately.

Ian Plätschisch,
Seneschal

Thank you, Most Honourable Seneschal.