[Terpelaziun] Distain (Sept 6)

[Breneir Tzaracomprada]

Tuischach,

I rise with one final question for the Distain. @Bråneu Excelsio

On the following point, there is strong agreement between Open Society and the Government:

This Government also intends to move forward on a long standing priority, to enhance the scope of the Royal Civil Service. It is our firm belief that the rancor inherent to Talossan politics can be toned down only by decentralising politics in Talossa – that is, by making more functions of the Kingdom Civil Service jobs rather than political appointments.

I must, however, point out that in the most recent opportunity to enact this priority the Government appears to have declined to take it. Appointing a civil servant to administer immigration policies. The governing party also appears to be supporting the ability for the Secretary of State to serve as a partisan official as several of its MCs are voting against placing a restriction on the SoS's ability to do so (The Nonpartisan Chancery Act).

How do these two actions square with the stated priority of "making more functions of the Kingdom Civil Service jobs rather than political appointments?"

[Breneir Tzaracomprada]

Courtesy reminder on this terpelaziun

[Bråneu Excelsio]

I believe this question has already been answered at length by the Seneschal.

[Breneir Tzaracomprada]

I believe this question has already been answered at length by the Seneschal.

Tuischach @þerxh Sant-Enogat

I believe the Distain is refusing to answer a correctly submitted terpelaziun. Would you please advise myself and Minister on the correct way forward here?

[Miestră Schivă, UrN]

If I may, est. Túischac'h:

- the Member is using Terpelaziuns "tactically". He has set out to ask every member of Cabinet a TERP to attempt to exert political pressure, regardless of whether this is appropriate or even sensible. Consequently, he has tried to ask this question of the Distáin, when the Distáin is the Deputy in the office of the Prime Ministry, and this question should have been directed to the Seneschál, i.e. me. We should not be surprised by this, because the Member has a history of bullying the Distáin, and it is to be hoped that the Distáin doesn't start getting nasty WhatsApp messages again.

Anyway, the Member is fully aware that I have previously answered both his questions, and I will repeat these answers below:

1) that, while a non-political Permanent Secretary of Immigration would be ideal, and we looked for one, we found no takers. We asked the previous Minister of Immigration to stay on in a non-political capacity; he turned us down. In desperation, I personally took on Immigration, and since I've found it's not as hard as I thought it would be, I've stuck with it. Applications for the position of PermSec Immigration are always open to those enthusiastic about doing donkey work, and not personally unpleasant.

2) the Member's "Single Transferable Obsession" with the SoS is irrelevant to the question of increasing the scope of the civil service, since the SoS is a civil servant and has no role in the elected Ziu or in the Government, as it should be.

Finally: the Government is discussing further points on the issue of expanding the Civil Service and we hope to announce further initiatives down the track.

[Breneir Tzaracomprada]

If I may, est. Túischac'h:

- the Member is using Terpelaziuns "tactically". He has set out to ask every member of Cabinet a TERP to attempt to exert political pressure, regardless of whether this is appropriate or even sensible. Consequently, he has tried to ask this question of the Distáin, when the Distáin is the Deputy in the office of the Prime Ministry, and this question should have been directed to the Seneschál, i.e. me. We should not be surprised by this, because the Member has a history of bullying the Distáin, and it is to be hoped that the Distáin doesn't start getting nasty WhatsApp messages again.

Anyway, the Member is fully aware that I have previously answered both his questions, and I will repeat these answers below:

1) that, while a non-political Permanent Secretary of Immigration would be ideal, and we looked for one, we found no takers. We asked the previous Minister of Immigration to stay on in a non-political capacity; he turned us down. In desperation, I personally took on Immigration, and since I've found it's not as hard as I thought it would be, I've stuck with it. Applications for the position of PermSec Immigration are always open to those enthusiastic about doing donkey work, and not personally unpleasant.

2) the Member's "Single Transferable Obsession" with the SoS is irrelevant to the question of increasing the scope of the civil service, since the SoS is a civil servant and has no role in the elected Ziu or in the Government, as it should be.

Finally: the Government is discussing further points on the issue of expanding the Civil Service and we hope to announce further initiatives down the track.

Tuischach,

The Seneschal's inaccurate but creative (as usual) political analysis relates not one whit to my original questions but it is entertaining. The rest of the first part of the answer is, well, new, so it was not already answered as the Distain claimed. I appreciate the answer finally given under obligation that they saw merit in my suggestion, tried to find someone, and failed.

Number two is not much of an answer as it does nothing to explain why the FreeDems believe it is appropriate, as they have just voted, to allow for the nation's election administrator to also lead one of the parties participating in that election...as the FreeDems did when they appointed the SoS as their Party President. You now admit you pressed a civil servant into a political position.

I am really sorry that your own actions make the questions that follow uncomfortable for you to answer. But that discomfort is far from bullying.

[Breneir Tzaracomprada]

Tuischach,

With permission I wanted to remind the Seneschal of Open Society's policy on government accountability via our latest statement. It may annoy her but we will continue to provide needed accountability to the extent necessary:

We would like to take a moment to thank government ministers for their timely and, with one concerning exception, respectful and lawful responses to Opposition enquiries. We have observed progress on several items on which there is agreement between Open Society and the Government. But a lawsuit has arisen out of one exchange and we will explore an additional concern next month.

This is how Talossa politics should work. An active and accountable Government, and an active and vigorous Opposition working in cooperation to ensure good service to the Talossan people.