Ministry of Infrastructure and Domestic Affairs (MIDA), Term X

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Loic thanks the Deputy Minister for his frank report.
"I am glad you didn't need to sugar-coat it. I didn't think my memo, which was just sent to Federal law enforcement officials, would be in any way binding on provincial law enforcement officials, so they are free to ignore it or not, as they wish. I realize the portfolio of Justice falls under the COJ, so it is up to people with more influence to lobby Per O'Floinn if they want to make an impact there. As to the judges, they are absolutely right, this is a matter for legislation or constitutional amendment, and that will be where this will be ultimately determined. The president was elected with this as a prominent plank in his platform, so I expect that popular support will help move the GA and the Senate in that direction, but whether it will be before or after the Senate elections, I cannot say."

 

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Loic calls the Director of FLEA to let him know that he has heard positive comments about the training in citizens rights, and thanks him for the good work he has done on that task.

 

[von Streusser]

A note arrives from the Tilapian embassy, hand-delivered by a latin courier.

Per Minister,

I have contacted the priest at the church where Per Vasquez was buried, in his hometown. He has agreed to perform the service, and as soon as you have confirmed a venue, time, and date, I will let him know so that he may attend. If you would like to get in touch with him as well, I am including contact information for his church.

Gracias,
Ambassador Paolos

Included is a note in an old man's shaky script with contact information for a small church in a Tilapian town near Buen Puerto, and a Father Mendez.

-von Streusser
as Tilapia

 

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Loic makes the calls necessary to find out who can get a podium reinstalled and sound system set-up in front of the General Assembly, where Hawkton Tilly announced his Presidential candidacy, so it would ready in time for the memorial service on Saturday morning at 10 AM, and then gives what he hopes are the necessary instructions to make it happen, including quoting the president's authorization. After that he prepares an announcement for all MIDA staff:

A memorial service for my predecessor and former Vice President PJ Vasquez is scheduled be held in the plaza in front of the General Assembly on Saturday at 10 AM. Padre Mendez from the hometown of your former minister will be officiating. Only essential functions of the Ministry will be operational Saturday morning. Any staff attending the service will be granted a half day's compensating time off within the next six months.

 

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Loic prepares a draft of a press release:

Father Mendez from Tilapia will conduct a memorial service for the late Vice President and Minister of Infrastructure and Domestic Affairs PJ Vasquez at 10 AM on Saturday in the Plaza in front of the General Assembly. Ministry of Infrastructure and Domestic Affairs offices will consequently be operating on a Sunday/Holiday basis on Saturday morning to permit more of his former colleagues to attend or observe the service.

 

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A letter arrives for the MIDA.

Per MIDA,

I appreciate your invitation, and assure you I will be taking advantage of it soon. Tomorrow, I am conducting a meeting with President Locke, but after that I have a bit of time on my hands, I'll come by your office then unless you have some pressing issue to attend to at the time.

Cheers,
John O'Floinn
Commissioner of Justice

 

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Loic calls back the office of the Commissioner of Justice and lets his admin know that the time frame suggested by Per O'Floinn for the meeting is fine, as the only firm committment he could not shift to accomodate the meeting would be the memorial service on Saturday morning for PJ Vasquez.

 

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Loic reads MIDA policies regarding sexual harassment and discrimination of all types. He then contacts the head of human resources for MIDA and asks for them to prepare a summary of any outstanding issues in that area, a self assessment of how the ministry was doing, whether there had been a noticable trends over time. He also asked whether they thought an anonymous hotline to report problems was a good idea or not and whether the policies needed to be refreshed.

 

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Loic calls the director of FLEA and asks whether MESA had turned over any information about the suspected illegal mining operation that had been leaking pollution into the Konigsëe.
"The Constitution says mining is a Federal, not provincial, jurisdiction, so I guess a mining crime is a Federal crime. This is one I would be happy to leave to the provinces, but the oppostion will come down on us like a ton of bricks if we neglect our duties. Newslink said that the site had already abandoned, so it starts out as a cold case. Please let me know if you want me to pay a visit on the MESA if they are slow about providing a copy of their files."

 

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Loic drafts a press release.

The Federal Law Enforcement anonymous tip-line is now operational. Please call (number) and leave a message with the relevant details. Information provided will be treated with the strictest confidence. If you want to remain anonymous, we will respect that, but if you want to follow-up with an item, please leave a unique codename in your original message which you can mention in a follow-up call.

OOC: In regards PC use, I will (and everyone else should, since it is a private thread) ignore the username on the post. If you leave you signature on the post, it will be assumed that you didn't want to stay anonymous.

He instructs his deputy to release it as soon as the system is operational.

 

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Loic calls the head of equipment at FLEA to see if there is in fact a bullet proof vest available for and issued to all operatives, agents, and officers. He also enquires about what is being done to encourage them to be worn. He suggests an internal publicity campaign about someone whose life was saved by wearing one, hopefully with a local example of someone from FLEA or a policeper here in Eutopia, but if not, perhaps an example from the US.

 

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When Loic gets back to the Ministry, he takes out the gold medal given him by Vincent at the wake. He checks the price of gold on-line and then wanders into the mail room and puts it on the scale.
"If it is solid gold or even 14 karat gold throughout, it is too valuable to accept as personal gift."
He picks up some bubble wrap and heads back to the main reception area, where he speaks to his admin, explaining the situation.
"Could you have this properly assayed, to determine the gold content. Don't send it to our lab, I don't want the finish marred. It would be better if it checked by a reputable jeweler who will keep this confidential. If it contains more than a quarter ounce of gold, we will have to consider it an official gift. In which case, we should have it displayed..."
He looks around and points to prominent place on the wall of the reception area.
"...there. If it is simply gold plate, then it could be a personal gift, which I will display in my public office."
He takes out the coin and bubble wrap, which he hands to his admin.
"Be sure this isn't lost, it could create a diplomatic incident if it were."

 

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When the Minister returns to the office he finds his administrative assistant has logged several telephone messages for him:

- MIDA Human Resources personnel report that there are no discernable trends in cases of sexual harrasment, though some cases of ethnic harassment occurred sporadically between Anglo and Ibero employees in the immediate aftermath of the division of the nation. Because the MIDA is a relatively new office, records only back through the term of President Al'Aeshir, and the rump-end of Grant's tenure.

The Department Head does not wish to pass judgement on the Minister's suggestion, but says that it is entirely within his authority to enable such a reporting system.

- The FLEA director concerns that illegal mining is a federal offense. Enforcement agents refer to "Spot mining", as it is called, as generally a very quick and messy operation to extract a relatively small amount of mineral or metal without notice. "Slow mining", on the other hand, is more of a permanent operation, where a mineral poacher seeks the long-term extraction of minerals over a long period of time, however the amount that can be extracted without notice is usually very, very, small.

The site in question does not fit neatly within either category as it seems to have been one common site from whence many quick one-time extractions were made. As such the safety and integrity of the shafts are unsound and traces of waste chemicals used in extraction were widespread.

The site appears to have been abandoned for at least a few years and there are currently no leads. Copper, which seems to have been present in trace amounts, is commonly used in many Neuwestabaden industries.

- Bullet proof vests are not supplied to every FLEA agent, however special operations teams are adequately equipped. Other agents may check out such vests from central depots without fee or delay, but there are not enough to assign one to each agent. individually.

- Initial forensic reports are due back from the Heimdall's Eye explosion very soon. If there is no evidence of foul play, the reports are intended to be made public. If there is reason to suspect foul play, the report will be released to the MDIA first.

- A neighbor called about suspected trespassers on some of your lands. No details available.

- heagarty as NPCs
GM Events

 

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Loic calls back his neighbor to get more information about the trespassing incident.

 

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The Neighbor is not home.

However the admin Loic had just visited reports that:

The medal does appear to be made of solid gold, and has a small number stamped on the smooth back side, below the queen's signature. (That number is 020)

On the front is the seal of the realm of Tilapia, the back has the queen's signature.

Other than that there appears to be nothing else remarkable about it. It would appear to be of moderate worth.

-heagarty as NPC
GM Events

 

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Loic speaks to the Admin about the coin from Tilapia.
"I don't know what the official policy on gifts is, but I have a feeling that I am going to have to draft one soon if there isn't one already. In it will be a restriction against accepting gifts over a value of 100 ducats. As that is sold gold and it weighs more than a quarter of a troy ounce, it is over the limit. It would impolite to return it, so that means it is an 'official' gift, to the office, not to the person. Please have it displayed nicely and securely where I had previously indicated. Maybe we can get an artist to paint portraits from photographs of Vilms and Vasquez for the hall."

 

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Loic looks up the address of the neighbor that called about the trespassers.

 

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Loic calls the Human Resources Department head to thank them for the report.
"As to the idea about an anonymous hotline to report discrination or sexual harrassment problems, I think I will bring it up to cabinet to see if it should be implemented throughout government, and act according to their overall decision."

 

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Gonzov callls MIDA back

Interesting report. I'll get RECOM to look there and see if we can find Gold, it might be that Gold was known to be there and several spot mining offenses took place there spread out over a long time as not to arouse suspicsion.

Have you searched the entire Mine? There might be clues deeper down, let me get RECOM to send some Mining experts down there to help prevent accidents and speed up the search..

 

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O'Floinn walks casually up to the MIDA's secretary's desk.

I'm here to see the MIDA, I have an appointment with him.