Wednesday, 7 March 2007

Reform of Government

The ZRT believes it is vital for the health of our democracy, as well as being a bit of a laugh, to have a Second Chamber of Parlimînt. The Senats as it was originally conceived was to be a territorial chamber, representing the provinces. Public interest in the provinces, with the exception of Cezembre, has however been disappointing. They are perceived as abstractions or legacies of an older, patronage-laden form of Talossan politics that was more interested in appearance than substance.

The ZRT therefore proposes a reorganisation of local government that will make it stronger, more viable and more powerful than before. In place of the existing system of provinces, we propose that two "departments" be created. Metropolitan Talossa will be composed of all the current North American territories of the Republic. Cezembre will be both a department and a province and will retain its functioning local government. No changes will be made to the current allocation of citizens.

The ZRT proposes to expand the powers of local government making it more relevant and more interesting. This will be done by increasing the number of areas in which federal and local government share responsibility. These would be in domains such as education, social affairs, and the integration of new citizens, as well as the sole exclusive domains of the provinces at the moments, cultural affairs and self-government.

With a functioning system of local government in place the ZRT believes that a Senats should be convened. Representation in the new Senats will be based on the departmental areas, with each department getting one Senator for approximately 6-12 citizens, with each department having at least one Senator.

Introduction

The ZRT asks the voters of the Republic to renew the mandate it received in 2006-for measured and careful reform of our Republic, mindful of Talossan traditions but not bound by sentimental attachment to outmoded models, or idealised visions of unity.

The ZRT believes in

-effective local and national government, intrinsically linked to our territorial claims in the Talossan homeland;

-a renewed assertion of the Republic's identity through a new declaration of independence and sovereignty over the Talossan lands;

-a programme of investment in concrete symbols of nationhood, using the Finance Bill 2006 as a model of effective collective action for common goals.

Let the ZRT build upon its proven record in government. Our Republic has a future!