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plembobria:
r3naissanc3r:
My thanks to the Delegate and the Administrative team.
Delegate Question Time
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My thanks to the Delegate and the Administrative team.
There has been no deployment since the last reported deployment. A few weeks back we attempted to deploy to Warzone Asia for a training op, but were unsuccessful. Per standard policy, we did not report this to the RA. As for this impersonation, that is definitely something you should share with me at greater length.
Well I apologize for not being clearer in my original answer. You will note when I brought up Warzone Asia, I mentioned that the deployment was unsuccessful. This is because we missed the timing at update, and then failed to get troops stationed in before another region. Both times our troops were recalled immediately after arriving. Following long-established precedent, we did not report this failed op because our troops were only in place for a very short time, did not remain for an extended period, did not cause the delegacy to change hands, did not change the status quo of the region. I used the phrase "dispatched to a region," which can be taken two ways: a)the act of dispatching itself or b)the actual placement of troops in an area. I agree with the current prevailing view that unless the troops are put in place, the deployment is not valid. If the troops are sent to a region and turn back just as quickly, the op is a bust and so is the deployment; therefore, I was referring to b) whereas you appear to be thinking of a).
This has been NPA policy for years and I intend to continue it.
This has been NPA policy for years and I intend to continue it.
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How do you feel about the current level of participation in the regional message board by members of the Executive/by regional officers?
Sorry I missed your question! I think it's slipped lately, we had decent engagement at the start of the term (albeit, in response to criticism and arguments that had to be sorted out) but I think we've relaxed in response to the presence of the Gameside Advocate and his team. This is a muscle that atrophies quickly and we need to make an effort to keep flexing it. I hoped HA would try to do these posts as part of their rounds, but I think I may have underestimated the workload. We have events and outreach, the cabinet should take part too if they have the opportunity.mcmasterdonia:
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Can I ask the Delegate who sits in the Cabinet and in what capacities? (be they Ministers, Advisers, or any other capacity)
Oh hi Zyvet, didn't see you there. Here's the list:
Minister of Defense: Gladio
Minister of Foreign Affairs: Kaschovia
Minister of Home Affairs: ABC
Minister of Culture: McMasterdonia
Minister of World Assembly Affairs: Sil Dorsett
Minister of Communications: Xagill
Lead Gameside Advocate: Egalotir
Senior Gameside Advocate: The Sanada Clan
Advisers to the Executive Council and the Delegate: Eluvatar, r3naissanc3r, Lord Ravenclaw
Head RP Mod (executive council status on Discord): St.George/MadJack
Siwale also has cabinet access on the Discord
Minister of Defense: Gladio
Minister of Foreign Affairs: Kaschovia
Minister of Home Affairs: ABC
Minister of Culture: McMasterdonia
Minister of World Assembly Affairs: Sil Dorsett
Minister of Communications: Xagill
Lead Gameside Advocate: Egalotir
Senior Gameside Advocate: The Sanada Clan
Advisers to the Executive Council and the Delegate: Eluvatar, r3naissanc3r, Lord Ravenclaw
Head RP Mod (executive council status on Discord): St.George/MadJack
Siwale also has cabinet access on the Discord
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- zyvet.
Thank you for your answer.Pallaith:
May I clarify, in relation to Madjack and Siwale, what does "executive council status" mean and how does it differ from "cabinet access" in relation to Discord?
Additionally, is it correct to assume that those others named (that is, everyone other than Siwale and Madjack) can contribute to the Cabinet's discussions on the forum, presuming that such discussions are still conducted here from time to time?
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Thank you for your answer.Pallaith:
If I may seek further clarification. Is it then correct to say that "cabinet access" and "executive council status" do not differ? Does "these individuals" mean all of those named or those named save for Madjack and Siwale, in relation to participation in cabinet discussion on the forum?
They are not the same. Cabinet access was granted through Executive Council status to MadJack, and granted without it to Siwale. When I use the term Executive Council I am using a Discord designation. "These individuals" was referring to MadJack and Siwale, though the advisers obviously also have that access to facilitate their advising.Zyvetskistaahn:
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Thank you for that clarification.Pallaith:
I'm still not entirely sure I follow. Is Madjack a member of the Executive Council, then, in a like manner as a Minister, in his capacity as an RP mod? Why refer to discord status/access if the access extends to the forum?
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MadJack is not a member of the Executive Council, as that would not be constitutional. I hold cabinet access through my role as advisor to the delegate, a role you could say I've held since Plembobria's term.
Obviously if advisors are required to have been re-appointed each term, and there is no explicit post from Ghost saying so, my access to the Cabinet forum is an oversight and should subsequently be revoked.
Obviously if advisors are required to have been re-appointed each term, and there is no explicit post from Ghost saying so, my access to the Cabinet forum is an oversight and should subsequently be revoked.
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As my questions were not answered in the Commend Texas topic, I will ask again here:
- In what sense did WALL oppose Commend Texas?
- Was there a vote?
- If there was, which regions (and/or representatives) voted, and how?
- When did this decision happen?
Gladio
TNPer
My apologies for the late reply.Eluvatar:
From all the WALL members (with the exception of International Democratic Union). The North Pacific, Europeia and Balder voted against the Commend Texas SC resolution for pretty much the same reasons that i outlined in my post in the Commend Texas thread. And there was no internal vote within WALL.
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I've noticed that you have not been announcing how you are voting in the WA voting threads, and sometimes this has been inconsistent with the forum vote. Is there a reason why you don't announce how you are voting on a resolution in the forum thread? And if not, would you consider at least posting in said thread, when you are voting in contradiction to the forum vote?
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My apologies then. I must have been mistaken. Thank you for answering, nonetheless.
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Normally, I would pose this question in the WA proposal topic but as there is no current WA proposal topic for "Commend Guy" I will ask the Delegate directly.
Why is The North Pacific voting to oppose Commend Guy in the World Assembly Legislative League?
PS: Seeing as no "Commend Guy" proposal is submitted at this time, does the WALL vote apply to any proposal to Commend Guy that may ever be proposed, or something more specific?
Why is The North Pacific voting to oppose Commend Guy in the World Assembly Legislative League?
PS: Seeing as no "Commend Guy" proposal is submitted at this time, does the WALL vote apply to any proposal to Commend Guy that may ever be proposed, or something more specific?
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It's a little disappointing that the delegate is yet to reply to my question, and also the earlier question asked by Eluvatar that has now gone unanswered for almost two weeks. I understand that the role of being delegate is a busy and involved one, but can the delegate commit to answering these questions in a more timely manner should he seek and win re-election?
Gladio
TNPer
My apologies for the late reply, real life has been hectic lately..
Eluvatar - I decided to vote against Commend Guy because I believed that we shouldn't support someone who critizes TNP because of our anti-nazi policy.
St George - We have been closely keeping an eye on the recent events In Lazarus, a statement will be released soon with more Information regarding our stance.
Eluvatar - I decided to vote against Commend Guy because I believed that we shouldn't support someone who critizes TNP because of our anti-nazi policy.
St George - We have been closely keeping an eye on the recent events In Lazarus, a statement will be released soon with more Information regarding our stance.
Hello, Mr. Delegate. With regards to r3n's appointment as Chief of Staff here, I have a few questions, as well as some others.
edit 2: rearranged questions, added some more.
- What is a Chief of Staff?
- What is that office's responsibilities?
- What goals do you have for this office over your term?
- What inspired you to create this office, rather than work with the current Minister setup?
- What about r3n specifically encouraged you to appoint him to the role?
- What makes this office different from Advisers to the Delegate?
- Will this office require an Oath?
- If so, what gameside authorities do you plan on giving this officer, if any?
- Will you require your Advisers to take Oaths of Office?
- What level of access will they have to private executive areas?
- What level of access will the Chief of Staff have to private executive areas?
- Do you plan on appointing a Lead Gameside Advocate?
edit 2: rearranged questions, added some more.
Sorry for the delayed response. I've been working with the Advisors to determine whether an oath is appropriate for an advisor role before responding to your questions. However, since we have yet to reach a final verdict, I wanted to at least answer your other questions for now.Darcania:
1. What is a Chief of Staff?
The Chief of Staff is a cabinet position which exists to provide support to the rest of the cabinet and assist in carrying out of various projects and program.
2. What is that office's responsibilities?
The Chief of Staff acts as a helping hand in all ministries and oversees the execution of certain key projects, especially those requiring coordination between multiple ministries.
3. What goals do you have for this office over your term?
My primary goal for this office focuses on increasing the overall productivity of the Executive by keeping key projects highlighted in my platform running smoothly and ensuring that they are to completed to the highest degree of the quality.
4. What inspired you to create this office, rather than work with the current Minister setup?
It is my hope that, by having a Chief of Staff, we can cover more ground this term. We have an ambitious agenda and a number of projects which will require a lot of planning and collaboration between multiple ministries.
5. What about r3n specifically encouraged you to appoint him to the role?
This position seems like a natural fit for r3n. r3n is always working behind the scenes to strengthen TNP's various programs (i.e. the WADP and IFV), proposing new ideas for projects, as well as contributing in any way he can to ongoing projects. If there is someone who I can rely on to ensure that a project is completed in a timely manner and is of the highest quality, it's r3n.
6. What makes this office different from Advisers to the Delegate?
The advisor to the Delegate position exists to provide advice to the Delegate and Executive Council throughout the term. They do not have authority to carry out any executive functions.
7. Will this office require an Oath?
The Chief of Staff is a member of the cabinet and will be required to take an oath.
8. If so, what gameside authorities do you plan on giving this officer, if any?
The Chief of Staff will be given the proper gameside authorities to perform their role. I find authority over appearance, communications, and polls to currently be sufficient.
9. Will you require your Advisers to take Oaths of Office?
Still deciding on this. Will answer as soon as I can.
10. What level of access will they have to private executive areas?
Advisors will have access to the Executive Council Chambers and potentially other workrooms where their advice may be required.
11. What level of access will the Chief of Staff have to private executive areas?
The Chief of Staff is a member of the cabinet and thus will have the same level of private access.
12. Do you plan on appointing a Lead Gameside Advocate?
I do intend on appointing a Lead Gameside Advocate. I am currently in the process of selecting the right candidate for the role and will announce it when things are finalized.
Thank you for your answers. I have a few follow-up questions.
- From my limited understanding of the office of Delegate, I was under the impression that it was the Delegate's job to oversee and support their Ministries, as well as oversee their key projects and goals. Is this incorrect?
- If it is the Chief of Staff's duty to do as you say, what will your duties entail?
- Do you believe that this appointment in any way runs counter to the fact that it was you, and not r3n, who was elected Delegate?
- Do you foresee any potential difficulties with regards to the relationship between the chief of staff and the various Ministers, specifically regarding the fact that the Chief will be helping to oversee what are essentially other offices with nominally equal standing as members of the Cabinet?
- What about your term and projects requires r3n to have executive authority rather than keep with his usual administrative role?
- Do your advisers currently have private executive access while you decide whether to require an oath?
1. From my limited understanding of the office of Delegate, I was under the impression that it was the Delegate's job to oversee and support their Ministries, as well as oversee their key projects and goals. Is this incorrect?Darcania:
Certainly, the Delegate is the one ultimately responsible for overseeing their Ministries and providing whatever support is needed. However, the Delegate is only one person. By having an extra set of hands, we are able to cover more ground this term.
2. If it is the Chief of Staff's duty to do as you say, what will your duties entail?
My duties are the same as all Delegates before me: Use the powers and rights granted to me through The North Pacific Constitution and Legal Code to strengthen our regional community and provide TNP with the proper level of support required to thrive as a region.
3. Do you believe that this appointment in any way runs counter to the fact that it was you, and not r3n, who was elected Delegate?
The Chief of Staff exists to provide support to the Delegate and the rest of the Executive. It does not have anywhere near the same level of authority or responsibility as the Delegate.
4. Do you foresee any potential difficulties with regards to the relationship between the chief of staff and the various Ministers, specifically regarding the fact that the Chief will be helping to oversee what are essentially other offices with nominally equal standing as members of the Cabinet?
The job of the Chief of Staff is not to oversee other offices. His role is specific to certain projects. And even there, he is required to collaborate with, rather than supervise, the ministers whose portfolia overlap with these projects, while reporting to me as any other Minister. The Chief of Staff is not nominally in equal standing with members of the Cabinet, he is in equal standing with them period.
Therefore, I don’t foresee any problems. If anything, I think the rest of the Cabinet will appreciate this collaborative approach as it allows them to get more accomplished throughout the term.
5. What about your term and projects requires r3n to have executive authority rather than keep with his usual administrative role?
It's the number and scope of projects. I want to deliver on all the items I promised in my campaign, many of which are well-defined and highly-specific statements of work that fall outside of traditional ministry portfolia. For this reason, I felt that it is necessary to have someone specifically in charge of coordinating these projects. R3n has a proven record in overseeing or helping to carry out projects of similar scope and specificity, both as delegate and as advisor to the government for four years now. Granting r3n executive authority not only allows him to continue contributing in this way, but also to scale up his efforts and take a more active role in the administration.
6. Do your advisers currently have private executive access while you decide whether to require an oath?
They do currently have access. Advisors have traditionally not had to take an oath to be granted access. I am currently assessing whether it is necessary for this to change.
I get the feeling that you are troubled by the CoS appointment, but it is not clear why. If that's indeed the case, then I would appreciate it if you could tell me directly what you find problematic about it, and I will try to address your concerns.
Please don't be worried. I'm not the type to hide my concerns or beat around the bush, and I've laid them out in the above questions, plain to see. (My apologies if the questions seemed hostile from that.) You've answered to my satisfaction and properly addressed those concerns. I do hope this new position will prove to be useful; it seems like a long-overdue position given how much the Delegate has to do, and to fulfill plans as thorough as yours you'll need the assistance, so best of luck. I'll be checking in every so often with this new position.Siwale:
Just remember that you are the Delegate. That's all for my questions and concerns for now.
Cabinet picks weren't finalized until after I was sworn in, but a lot of thought and planning went into them ahead of time. During the selection process, I consulted with a number of individuals such as the current Ministers at the time, my soon-to-be advisors, and some other experienced members of the community such as r3n and McM. I found this wide variety of feedback to be extremely helpful in shaping my cabinet since it led to more informed decisions.St George:
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Is the delegate looking forward to the The North Pacific & Greater Dienstad Roleplay and Cultural Exchange and will they join me in congratulating the Minister of Culture for the on-going excellent job they're doing in the role?
I certainly am looking forward to the cultural exchange! We have an amazing lineup of lecturers for this event with some phenomenal topics. This event would not have been possible without our excellent Minister of Culture, McMasterdonia, who was crucial in bringing our two communities together for this exchange. I would also like to thank you, Madjack, as well as Lamoni and The Macabees from Greater Dienstad for your help in putting this event together.St George:
Owenstacey
TNPer
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Mr. Delegate I have a question,
No Foreign Affairs applications have been processed for a period of five days. Previous to this, a larger number of applications have been processed but no post was made, to publically accept these citizens to the Foreign Affairs ministry. The last post by the Minister in the Executive Staff Applications was on the 27th of May, nearly a month. By not posting that these citizens had been accepted it opened up the chance of mistakes and people being missed, which as you know has occurred.
So i ask you what you are doing and what you will be doing to improve this activity in the application thread to make the Foreign Affairs ministry more efficient?
No Foreign Affairs applications have been processed for a period of five days. Previous to this, a larger number of applications have been processed but no post was made, to publically accept these citizens to the Foreign Affairs ministry. The last post by the Minister in the Executive Staff Applications was on the 27th of May, nearly a month. By not posting that these citizens had been accepted it opened up the chance of mistakes and people being missed, which as you know has occurred.
So i ask you what you are doing and what you will be doing to improve this activity in the application thread to make the Foreign Affairs ministry more efficient?
The Executive Staff application thread is a tool for consolidating ministry interest to a single area of the forum in order to make it easier for the Ministers to process. There is no formal method to processing these applications. As long as they get processed in a reasonable amount of time, I am not going to micromanage each Minister's individual approach to completing this task. While I do acknowledge that FA applications did originally fall behind in the beginning of the term due to Plemby's RL commitments as well as the sudden departure of his deputies, he has been doing a much better job of processing these applications lately. Yes, there is currently one application from the 21st that requires processing and I have already notified the Minister of this. Additionally, Plemby is currently in the process of finding new deputies to assist in ES application processing as well as the other various operations of the ministry. FA receives a large number of these applications on a regular basis and the workload is much more manageable with some helping hands.Owenstacey:
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Which event that happened on July 11th should the TNP University cover in it's ongoing This Day in History coverage for July?
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