Post by kangarawa on Feb 19, 2007 15:07:08 GMT -5
It seems only fitting that at the time the reconstruction of TEP's forum was basically complete that our Delegate, Nicholas Richardson of Gnidrah, should have given his "State of the Region" address. The complete text, indicating some very new directions for TEP, is quoted below.
THE DELEGATE: Thank you very much. And tonight, I have a high privilege and distinct honor of my own -- as the first Delegate to begin the State of the Region message with these words: Madam Consul. Congratulations, Madam Consul.
Madam Consul, Mister Grand Vizier, members of the Assembly, distinguished guests, and fellow citizens:
In 2003, a man from 1 Infinite Loop took on the great task of leading a region, by becoming Delegate of the East Pacific on May 25th. Just two weeks later, he was overthrown. But once the legitimate East Pacific Delegate discovered what was happening, and began to react with the help of those around him, there was a short struggle of power before his delegacy was restored.
From that point on, the Delegate made an effort to increase the strength, security, and stability of the region. He helped establish and build on a new government. That foundation still stands today. And I think we can all remember and appreciate him for all he did during his delegacy.
Three years later, the Delegate chose and prepared a successor to take over the delegacy at the end of his third year as delegate. On May 25, 2006, I officially took office as Delegate of the East Pacific.
This evening, just shy of nine months into my delegacy, I am honored to be in your presence in such a capacity as this. And now, I would like to take this time to reflect on some of the events that have taken place since I took office, current events in the East Pacific, and the direction in which I would like to see this region head in the future.
Soon after taking office, there were a few conflicts. There was at least one invasion planned. Fortunately, there was an adequate amount of intelligence that helped us plan and implement a countermeasure, which allowed us to rise above the threat of attack. It was good for us, in at least one sense, that it helped open our eyes that there is always an underlying threat of invasion, so we should always be prepared.
Another conflict arose when I issued a statement, condemning the actions of the Lexicon and its founders, who had declared war against the North Pacific. While the statement gained much criticism from those who chose to side with the Lexicon, it also gained the friendship and respect of the North Pacific, and those who sided with them. And that, I have to tell you, made issuing the controversial statement worth it, regardless of what anyone against it might have to say about it.
But here at home, we had other matters to tend to. We saw some changes in government positions, perhaps most notably the Viceroy. The man from Codex had occupied the judicial branch's top office since its inception, and felt it would be more beneficial to the region if he were to just resign. While surprising and even disappointing, his decision was respected and accepted. Weeks passed before a successor, from Free Pacific States, was eventually nominated and appointed by confirmation of the Magisterial Assembly.
Less than a month later, a very unfortunate event took place. A city-wide power outage led to an unanticipated crash in the regional government's server infrastructure. The crash -- referred to as the blackout -- halted normal government operations, and limited the government's ability to operate fully.
What's more, though, is the fact that, while we were hopeful and optimistic that data lost would be restored, two months later, we were brought to the sad realization that data recovery was no longer a possibility. As a result, a decision was made to restructure and streamline a new system; a process which has yet to be completed, but has brought us back to a more normal operating basis.
Today, I am happy to report that we are almost there. We have nearly reached our goal in the rebuilding process, with a few minor technical issues to deal with before we reach 100 percent of that goal. That is the state of our infrastructure.
To the state of our foreign policy, I am pleased to report that we are back in the game of diplomacy, and our relations with other regions are still better than they have been in quite some time. But I would like to see some improvements, not only in our foreign policy, but also in our domestic policy. So now, I would like to talk about the future of our great region.
A month from now, applications for the Fifth Magisterial Assembly will be accepted. By the end of March, the members of the next session will have been determined. But that also means the members Fourth Magisterial Assembly -- the current session -- still have a month and a half to pass any necessary legislation. As such, I would like to ask you Magisters to retrieve and, if necessary, repass any of the legislation passed during this session and the previous session -- the Third Magisterial Assembly -- that has been lost due to the blackout.
For the future members of the Fifth Magisterial Assembly in the upcoming Summer Session, I would like to plea with you to quickly review and pass any legislation and allow my signing of any treaties with other regions (namely our sister regions: Lazarus; the North Pacific; the Pacific; the Rejected Realms; the South Pacific; and the West Pacific), that would be beneficial to our region and the relationships between this region and others, while still maintaining our region's and nations' sovereignty. Such legislation or treaties, of course, would need to be reviewed by our Judicial Branch, to ensure legality and no conflict between them and the Charter of the East Pacific.
I know it is unlike our government to involve ourselves with treaties and foreign affairs such as what I am asking of you, but I think it is time for a change in policy. We no longer need to be the East Pacific that sits in our shadow of the world. We need to be an East Pacific that is outward in our appearance and foreign policy. If we want to be friends with another region's government, we should go make those friends instead of waiting for them to come to us, if ever.
We need to expand and improve our diplomacy in the world, and our Department of Interregional Relations, headed by our Ambassador General and backed by the Executive Branch, is prepared to take those necessary steps, with the support of the other branches of government. Please consider any future proposals for the betterment of our region, in all aspects.
I would also like to take steps in improving our intelligence and security. The East Pacific Defense Initiative and the East Pacific Intelligence Agency have run their course, in my opinion. In the coming days, I intend to dissolve the two departments, and create a new agency; not two separate agencies, mind you, which operate separately; but one department, working together, under one roof, for one purpose: the security of our region. I will have more on this, including the name and responsibilities of such an agency, in the coming days.
I leave you with this: we have an opportunity to change our government and this region for the greater good. As I near my first full year as delegate, won't you join me in marching on to bring greater strength, stability, and security to our region? Won't you join me in helping this region become a more high-profile, more highly-respected region in this world? Please help me help our region stand tall and strong.
Ladies and gentlemen, the state of our region is positive. Let's multiply that state into a greater positive. I look forward to working with you all in our endeavors together. Thank you for your time and attention. Look for my new policy soon. See you next year.
~ Kang
