Badara

[Drax]

MAJLIS DEBATES FEDERALISM
 
MANARA  ALBRAYD SRIA AL-MUSAMI
(If it’s in the Monsoon, it’s got to be true)
 
Majlis, May 17, 5652:  With new elections approaching, Chancellor Bashir ibn Ortoq opened debate in the Majlis  on the subject of the degree of federalism that was desirable.  The Chancellor  indicated the anarchy that developed in Nashwa has tended to obscure the desire of the Sovereign People for a very limited central government.
 
Police jurisdiction and operative law are two areas needing clarification. The Chancellor suggested that it be recognized that if the Majlis chooses to legislate on something on behalf of the Sovereign People then such legislation overrides Muhafaza or municipal ordinances but absent such legislation, it is local law that operates.  General criminal law, traffic rules, property ownership and use restrictions and reguation, and zoning should definitely be handled locally.
 
Generally municipalities and Muhafazas have police for law enforcement . The Central Security Organizations (CS0) has uniform police for covering areas such as quite a  bit of Nashwa  and rural areas where they do not.  In addition to CSO police, CSO has Criminal Investigation Division (CID), Special Security Forces (SSF) and Internal Security Unit (ISU) ready for enforcement of the criminal laws of the Majlis.
 
Finance Minister Mariamne al-Qassem, a leader of the Free Radical Supper Club (FRSC), stated that retirement and employment related benefits should be handled entirely by the central government. This would not prevent other governments or private concerns furnishing additional benefits. She further indicated that she thought not only should the central government pay health benefits but provide them.
 
Many of the Working Institutional Group (WIG) wanted the central government to subsidize but not provide health care services so a  vote was taken after fairly vigorous debate.  The Finance Minister’s view prevailed.
 
Faisal Abu Saq, the Managing Director of Central Bank pointed out that since providing education, providing or overseeing utiities including telecommunications, heating and cooling and electricity, trash collection, water and sewer  services and waste management, a law enforcement and court system as well a local road system will be done locally, the central government should not be so grasping in tax collection that there was nothing left  for the municipalities and Muhafazas.
 
Abu Saq said that equally important was the central goverment’s need to fund national defense and foreign affairs management, Majlis law enforcement, and the management and proper use of the oil and gas reserves of the Sovereign People, so there needed to be a real thoughtful balance found on where taxes should go and how much could reasonably be extracted. Fortunately, the oil and gas reserrves gave us some room for avoiding oppressive taxation.
 
Foreign Minister Hakim al-Sabah, a WIG leader, suggested the central government would also be overseeing educational standards, enforcing occupational safety and heath standards, promoting international trade and helping start up businesses get off the griound. Further, that libraries, parks and museums and cultural protection should be provided at whatever level seemsed appropriate as the need and opportunity arose.  This proved to be non controversial.
 
The Chancellor indicated to the extent any of the con census agreement arrangements needed legislation, his office and the Justice Ministry would prepare and present it to the Majlis.


The Majlis