| Issue XIV |
TOP STORY: GREAT COUNCIL WANTS PRIME MINISTER, MORE IN-GAME PARTICIPATION by Roavin With overwhelming consensus, the Great Council plans to create a prime minister position for the Cabinet. The new position is intended to head the Cabinet instead of the Delegate, who would then focus more on game-side issues. The proposal stems from discussion about better separation of powers between the branches of government during the “Broad Solutions” phase of the council between April 2 and April 17. Also in wide agreement is strengthening the relationship between the in-game community and the forum community. Delegate and Chair of the Great Council Tsunamy states “I'm especially excited about the discussions to have better representations from in-game active nations. It's been something I've pushed for a while now, so I'm hopeful it can finally come to fruition”. However, specific solutions remain hotly debated - various suggestions such as proportional representation in the Assembly or a bicameral system have received both praise and criticism. In response to security concerns after a coup attempt earlier this year, changes to the security institutions have been debated. Utilizing a higher endorsement cap in-game to hinder large-scale ejections has been generally met favorably, while the exact role of the CSS in the future is still being decided upon. Further discussions revolve around revamping the citizenship system, using election commissions, and addressing forum moderation. On April 17, the Chairs of the Great Council declared the start of the draft phase. Currently, the council is voting on whether to work with full drafts or partial drafts; at the time of this writing, the current results favors full drafts slightly (53%). Several members have already expressed intent to work on drafts while the vote is ongoing. As the vote draws to a close, another surge of activity can be expected drafting, debating, and ultimately bringing the new laws to a vote for all citizens. Delegate Tsunamy is optimistic, stating “[We] still have a lot of work ahead of us with actually ironing the the details, but I think the region and all involved are in a good place.” "I see TSP as a great place to be right now" An Interview with Vice Delegate Drugged Monkeys Drugged Monkeys is no stranger to the executive branch. He has served multiple times as Minister of the Army and as member of the Committee for State Security, which gives him an intricate knowledge of military gameplay and regional security. He had been on an informal hiatus until the recent coup, when he returned to full activity defending the Coalition, the second such time, after being a prominent member of the opposition to Milograd in 2013. In his current position as Vice Delegate, he has led the efforts to reform the government at the Great Council and has devoted himself to keep the citizenship roster updated and the CSS an effective institution in these changing times. He recently agreed to set aside some time in his busy schedule, to answer a few questions about his current role and his hopes for the region in the near future. You had been chronically inactive before this year, but during the recent coup you were at the frontlines, constantly defending the Coalition. How would you describe your rise from citizen to Vice Delegate? Well for me this isn't the first time I've had to deal with a coup in TSP. Having been a former Cabinet member on several occasions. and a longtime citizen here, it was only natural for me to stand up and defend the Coalition. I'd hope that others may do the same if the events ever repeat themselves, I was just doing what I thought every citizen of the Coalition should do. As for becoming Vice Delegate, it all happened so fast that I'm not really sure how to describe it. But I will say it has been interesting. What have been your main priorities and duties as Vice Delegate? Citizenship, CSS, and the Great Council. Citizenship is an important part of how TSP operates, so that has received a lot of my attention. The CSS is led by the Vice Delegate, so this has been something I have put some time into as well. The Great Council has been the biggest priority of myself, and the rest of the cabinet, trying to make sure it goes as smooth as possible and follows a timely schedule. You had already served in the Cabinet, most recently as Minister of the Army. Do you notice any differences between the Cabinet then and the Cabinet now? I see a lot of new faces that are becoming involved in regional politics! That is the biggest difference I have noticed. Back when I was heavily involved in regional government it seemed to be a revolving door of the same people switching positions. New faces and new ideas are the only way we will progress into the future. What are the priorities of the Cabinet, besides moving the Great Council forward? While some have described this as a caretaker government, I think now it has become much more than that. Since we have all been in office for so long now I think our priorities have shifted back to our actual campaign promises instead of "Let's just get the GC over with and hold new elections". Everone is more focused on their respective office's requirements, while also committing to constant cabinet discussions about any hot topics in the region. How do you think the Great Council is doing so far? I think we started a little late but that wasn't too big of an issue, although we may have lost some interest. The pace of the GC has been doing ok as well, with each stage ending in a timely manner. However, recently we hit a snag on how we would like to proceed with presenting drafts of ideas. This should be resolved soon and the GC should be able to finish within a reasonable time frame. What are the most pressing issues that should be addressed at this point? I believe Regional Involvement and Administrator Accountability are the two biggest issues under discussion. Aside from the actual reforms, what lessons should we take from the Great Council, now that it enters its final stages? Be nice. Don't take everything so personal. The GC has been an excellent example of how one should handle themselves in an Assembly discussion. How much will this Great Council change the region? It's too hard to say how much the GC will change the region. People have to be willing to accept change for it to actually work. I hope this has some positive effect on the region, but we will have to wait and see. Is there anything beyond legal reform that we should change in the region? Regional Security. Our current system is a little on the rough side and could use a good overhaul. How do you see the region now? How would you like to see it by the end of this year? I see TSP as a great place to be right now, as I did when I first came here. I would like to still see it that way at the end of the year. We can change legislation and government, but we will never change the heart of The South Pacific. Trouble in Osiris by Punchwood Orians awoke on April 18 to the news that outgoing Pharaoh Tim Stark and Cormac Montresor-Stark had declared the establishment of a Transitional Government. This measure was taken after The Almighty Jesus Whale was elected as Pharaoh and survived an immediate recall, aming accusations of corruption due to vote buying, in exchange for executive appointments. Cormac Montresor-Stark has been designated Pharaoh of the Transitional Government with the blessing of Tim Stark and former Pharaohs Koth and Joshua Bluteisen, as part of a system where the outgoing leader would appoint their successor. In contrast, former Pharaoh and renowned diplomat Joshua Ravenclaw has expressed serious concern about this turn of events and stated that this kind of behaviour was not what he had in mind when he agreed to work within the Osiris Fraternal Order, when it was first established. The Assembly is currently debating behind closed doors a response to what the interregional community overwhelmingly calls a coup, though what how exactly that debate is going remains a mystery. It appears that the Cabinet has chosen to remain neutral in the meantime, while sources close to it say an internal discussion is still ongoing, likely pending the result of the Assembly debate. With formal relations frozen at little more than mutual courtesy since early 2014, some are suggesting that the South Pacific should let both factions solve their own issues. Others argue that the South Pacific should work to uphold democracy in its sister regions. A regional poll has shown that most gameside residents would rather not get involved in this issue. TWP Celebrates Autism Awareness Week by Ryccia The West Pacific has been celebrating its Autism Awareness Week, which primarily lasted from April 14 to April 20. This was an idea from Benjamin Mark, a West Pacific who was diagnosed with autism. In consequence, their World Factbook Entry was, and to this date still is, painted with blue, associated with the autism spectrum. The West Pacific also invited other regions to participate in the celebration, with the goal of spreading awareness. This has been well received in several regions, some like Warzone Airspace and HYDRA Command joining in the celebration. The main advertising dispatch has garnered as many as 128 upvotes thus far. EDITORIAL: Renewing our Commitment by Kringalia As the Southern Journal makes its return to full activity with the publication of bimonthly issues, it does us good to remember the values under which it was founded, and reinforce our commitment to upholding them above all else. These values are what made this newspaper the preeminent news source in the modern South Pacific and an excellent venue for open debate and the free exchange of information. The Journal was founded in September 2014, at a time when there was no media of any kind in the region, with the purpose of informing citizens of recent happenings and increasing the likelihood that information would be exchanged freely among citizens and between the forum and the gameside region. In pursuance of this goal, it was imperative that issues be publish both forumside and gameside, and that the editorial line remain unbiased, free from undue interference from government institutions or subject to the interests of its officials, regardless of how inconvenient any news might be. That is a careful balance to strike for a newspaper owing its very existence to the Ministry of Regional Affairs, an institution led by government officials with an understandable stake in the success of their endeavours or seeking to bolster support for government actions. Examples of this would be any temptation to avoid reporting a scandal involving a popular official or publishing seemingly objective pieces that actually praised the Coalition during the recent coup, even if the latter might initially seem, to some, more tempting and necessary. As much as the individual writers have their particular views, the Journal must remain above the fray, either reporting objectively or providing both sides of an issue the chance to have their say, regardless of how appealing or repellent we could find them. That is because our institutional interest is not the advancement of certain views or the publication of propaganda. Our aim should be to inform the region as objectively as possible, to lay out the facts, so each can make their own determination. We must shape the agenda only insofar as we enable others to take action, but the nature of their action must be their own choice, not tampered or influenced by any particular intent on our part. In reading this issue and all that will follow, let us remember the kind of quality journalism that has defined all our writings so far and renew our commitment to that cause, so that the practice will remain one dominated by an ethical code and personal standards, rather than political conveniences and personal views. We owe that to ourselves, but most importantly, to the region we seek to inform, and the democracy that has thrived in it. OPINION: We Come In Peace by Sandaoguo At the start of April, the Gameplay world faced yet another departing: Game Admins decided it was time to pursue damnatio memoriae against the raider groups DEN and Cimmerian Mercenaries. Earlier in the year, the United Imperial Armed Forces dissolved due to infighting. Prior to that, the United Defenders League continued its slow self-inflicted death, and the Founderless Regions Alliance continued being a group much talked about but little seen. The military forces of Game-Created Regions are nothing to write home about, either, of course. Perhaps it is just because I was directly involved back then, but Gameplay seems to be dead compared to the zenith of its intrigue during the autumn of 2015. The South Pacific went from backwater to middling power, using diplomacy as our main tool. With the vacuum of power that doesn’t seem to be filling up anytime soon, we have an opportunity to return to the diplomatic chessboard. But what kind of power should the island paradise be? Game Admins plan on introducing an annexation feature sometime in the future. This feature will be used by regions to denote “control” by a metropole. Naturally, raiders and Imperialists will delight in this feature. But I argue that we can, too. The movers and shakers of South Pacifican politics ought to seriously consider the possibility of the Coalition’s position in the Great Game, lest we be left behind altogether or relegated once again to irrelevant backwater. Is this a call for imperialism? Perhaps. I would argue imperialism is a term owned by the gameplay style of the United Imperial Armed Forces and its former constituent regions. It’s a destructive form of play that often leaves the invaded regions barren and broken. But a more benevolent power could use something like the annexation feature not to collect dusty trophies, but to expand its cultural and diplomatic influence across the game in a way that fosters activity rather than hampers it. I do not envision a Coalition military that forcefully captures regions and conscripts its people into its empire. Rather, we should start building an infrastructure that is attractive to small regions – particularly regions without their own developed culture, history, customs, etc. Carrot, not stick. Federation, not empire. When annexation is finally implemented, the game will be changed by adding this question: Should we join this large alliance, or go out on our own? This is a common trope in many MMOs: guilds in World of Warcraft; corporations and alliances in EVE Online. Perhaps I’m too optimistic, but I expect that the annexation feature can lead to this style of gameplay having a larger role in NationStates. It’s a far way off, but The South Pacific should be thinking now about what the future holds. As a Game-Created Region, we are offered a special seat of power. Will we utilize it, or isolate ourselves from it? Former Delegate of the South Pacific
Posts outside High Court venues should be taken as those of any other legislator. I do not participate in the regional server, but I am happy to talk through instant messaging or on the forum. Legal Resources: THE MATT-DUCK Law Archive | Mavenu Diplomatic Archive | Rules of the High Court | Case Submission System | Online Rulings Consultation System
Very well done as always guys!
Above all else, I hope to be a decent person.
Has Been What's Next? CoA: August 2016-January 2017
Minister of Foreign Affairs: October 2019-June 2020, October 2020- February 2021
I do enjoy Glen's opinion piece of a sort of 'Manifest Destiny' of TSP. We are a GCR. Why not use that strength?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
ProfessorHenn
Legislator
I'm glad to announce a new record for the Southern Journal. Out of the six pieces in this issue, I only wrote two! Hopefully this diversity of authorship will continue in all following issues.
Former Delegate of the South Pacific
Posts outside High Court venues should be taken as those of any other legislator. I do not participate in the regional server, but I am happy to talk through instant messaging or on the forum. Legal Resources: THE MATT-DUCK Law Archive | Mavenu Diplomatic Archive | Rules of the High Court | Case Submission System | Online Rulings Consultation System
Yay! I wrote something for the SJ!
And, annexation? We could send colonists to new regions captured by our almighty military... And we could make an empire... Yes.... Colonization... Empire...Without bloodshed....Good... Cannot wait....
Deputy Regional Minister of the Planning and Development Agency(March 8-May 19, 2014)
Local Council Member(April 24-August 11) Court Justice of TSP(August 15-December 7)
For the record, I would not suggest we become the Dutch of NationStates
Great idea!
TSP rule the waves, TSP rule the seven seas!
Deputy Regional Minister of the Planning and Development Agency(March 8-May 19, 2014)
Local Council Member(April 24-August 11) Court Justice of TSP(August 15-December 7)
That was Britain, Ryccia.
And Glen, the Dutch were relatively small colonists! We'd be the Spain or Britain. Portugal at least. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
ProfessorHenn
Legislator
The Dutch were seafaring traders.
Maybe we can create colony regions and send colonizers? The colonizers would gain TSP Citizenship if they don't have it, plus those who already are will still be citizens. We could advertise in regions who were conquered and destroyed by raiders, regions who were couped by dictators and in here. Just like the 13 Colonies. Persecuted, afraid or just wanna move.
Deputy Regional Minister of the Planning and Development Agency(March 8-May 19, 2014)
Local Council Member(April 24-August 11) Court Justice of TSP(August 15-December 7)
That seems an awful lot like taking advantage of others' misfortunes.
Former Delegate of the South Pacific
Posts outside High Court venues should be taken as those of any other legislator. I do not participate in the regional server, but I am happy to talk through instant messaging or on the forum. Legal Resources: THE MATT-DUCK Law Archive | Mavenu Diplomatic Archive | Rules of the High Court | Case Submission System | Online Rulings Consultation System |
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