Badara

[Drax]

FRSC’S AZIZ ELECTED CHANCELLOR, MEETS WITH APC MONK LEADER
 
MANARA  ALBRAYD SRIA AL-MUSAMI
(If it’s in the Monsoon, it’s got to be true)
 
Chancellor’s Office, January 27, 5719:  The Free Radical Supper Club’s (FRSC) Abdul Aziz, a former Foreign Minister, has been selected by the Majlis as the new Chancellor. The FRSC was able to form a governing coalition with three other parties, the Majatran Metzists (MM), Forgotten Abadi Majatrans (FAM), and Israi Values (IV).  The Monsoon caught up with the new Chancellor as he and outgoing Chancellor Ivrahim al-Marwan were about to leave the Chancellor’s Office, and asked what had been their first order of business, and Aziz responded:
 

Under our new governing coalition, Chancellor al-Marwan is serving now as Minister of Religious Affairs.  A meeting was scheduled with the First Master Drusus Antonius of the Contemplative Monastic Order of Occidentalium, an Auroran Patriarchal Church (APC) monastic order recognized by the Arch Patriarch 600 years ago which is overseen by the APC Archbishop of Atyr.
 
Traditionally in Jumhiriat al-Badara, religious affairs were handled out of the Chancellor’s Office. The Order’s First Master has not met with the Government since the fairly recent creation of the Religious Affairs Ministry.  Accordingly we thought it appropriate in this case for us both to meet with him.
 
He essentially wanted to be sure the Order was operating within the current state of the law as we saw it.  We assured him that the Government regarded it as a part of a recognized religion and that its activities seemed to be within the scope of activity authorized by the Majlis.
 
We reviewed a number of activities.  Conducting prayer, contemplation and discussions on seeking a loving spirit are certainly permissible.  Also accepting Badaran novices and employing Badarans in compliance with our wage and hour and work place safety laws.
 
Production and purchase of necessary sustenance is permissible. Also production of mustard, herbal remedies and wine were permissible but there two caveats with respect to those activities; proceeds therefrom was subject to taxation as income and, if the herbal remedies were controlled substances, they were not exempt from prohibition or the necessity of a prescription from a physician.
 
Wealth management of which the Order had a considerable amount was also permissible but again profit might well be taxable as a capital gain.  Repayment of loans for expansion efforts in Dundorf and Kanjor was not taxable if principal but interest thereon was taxable.  Outright grants were not taxable.
 
First Master Antonius assured us records were quite intact and a review for possible tax liability by officials would be welcome. Since there are statutes  of imitations on tax due which has not been established as a judgment lien or a liquidated account held by the government, this does not appear to present much of a problem.
 
Quite frankly, I can say we look forward to the Order continuing to operate as a positive for our community as it has in the past.