Xontaro
23-04-2006, 07:26
Greetings from the Government of the Free Lands of Xontaro. The Illuminary President Vax Trement, the Illuminary Parliament, and the Illuminary People of Xontaro bid you fond greetings.
Upon the election of Illuminary President Vax Trement, following the impeachment and rehabilitation of his predecessor, he commissioned a complete overview of relations between our various Villages and the relations of the Free Land of Xontaro with foreign states. Therefore, it has come to our attention that many nations of the world are unaware our fine nation. It is our intention to educate the leaders and the peoples of the world regarding our History, our Government and our Defining Principles.
History:
Our land was once a scattered number of villages, all built high within the virgin forest trees which cover most of our land. Such placement of our homes was based on several key considerations: protection from predators, preservation of farmland, and proximity to bippi-nuts, the key ingredient of our Gross National Product.
The bippi-nut is essential to the production of Bippi Cola, Bippi Bars, and the currently regulated Bippi Beer.
Several generations ago, however, disaster struck parts of the southern forests. A curious blight struck the bippi-nut industry. However, other portions of the land were not affected. In order to ameliorate the consequences, a distinguished man by the name of Xontaro sought to pool resources, and helped to forge lasting bonds of trade and respect between the scattered villages.
It was only a matter of time before the needs of the administration of trade, import, and export demanded more organization, and the beginning stages of consolidation of our land into one nation began to be seen. Eventually, much to chagrin of Xontaro himself, we became the Free Lands of Xontaro, with him as our first Illuminary President (although he tried to escape several times).
Government:
Our government is made up of four distinct parts: the People, the Parliament, the Cabinet, and the Courts.
The People vote on various measures twice a year, and voting is mandatory. Only by insuring that each person contributes to the governing of our nation can we ensure that each person’s liberties and rights are safe-guarded.
The People vote on any law that would restrict civil rights or liberties. Laws may only be passed if they receive a 65% majority vote or better.
The Parliament is made up of two parts: elected and appointed members. Elected members serve for a maximum term of six years, and their numbers are determined by each village, according to their population; each village is entitled to at least one representative. Appointed members are appointed to the Parliament serve for a maximum term of four years; and may be appointed by the Illuminary President, the Parliament or the People by public acclamation. The President may not appoint more than 25% of the appointed members of Parliament, and appointed members may not total more than 45% of Parliament.
Parliament votes on the Government budget, proposes laws, and votes on whether to pass laws on to either the People or to the Courts for review. Parliament also writes resolutions, acts as the prosecution of officials accused of wrong-doing, assists in the selection and confirmation of appointees, writes clarifications of existing laws, and assists in the forming of the new Cabinet under each new Illuminary President.
The Illuminary President is elected by the People. Each political party is required to submit at least three candidates for the position of President during the secondary elections (held in the spring), the top five candidates are then put on the ballot of the primary elections (held in the fall). The candidate receiving the least votes in this primary election becomes Chancellor of the Treasury. The Illuminary President has a maximum term of four years, but can be removed by a vote of no-confidence by the Parliament or the people.
The Illuminary President is responsible for appointing Cabinet members, deciding basic policy (as long as it doesn’t interfere or contradict existing laws), and for appointing members to the Parliament and the Courts.
The High Court is made up of 15 members. These members are appointed, although any one of them may be removed from office by a vote of the People. Parliament may propose appointments to the High Court to the President, and Parliament must approve any appointments made by the President. High Court Justices may serve for life; however this requires their appointments to be reconfirmed, by Parliament, every five years.
Empty offices within the lower courts and the Courts of Appeal are also filled by appointment by the President (although the Ministry of Justice usually handles the actual decisions), and the President usually listens to recommendations made by Parliament. Parliament is responsible for approving these appointments as well.
The High Court is responsible for hearing cases where the Government is defendant or plaintiff, reviewing pending legislation, and reviewing existing legislation.
All officials, elected or appointed, are required to swear to uphold the Constitution of the Free Lands of Xontaro, and any breach of the Constitution is punishable under charges of treason. Also, any member of the Government who votes for or enforces a law is liable for civil damages arising from that law.
A copy of the Constitution of the Free Lands of Xontaro is available at no cost to any interested party. Copies of case law and the Unified Civil and Criminal Code are also available upon request, at cost (a complimentary copy is provided for free to any ambassador from a foreign country, however).
It should be noted that the Free Lands of Xontaro does not recognize the concept of diplomatic immunity in cases of felony and capital crimes.
Organization
Besides the Parliament, the President, and the High Court and attendant courts, much day-to-day operations and policy-making falls to the Cabinet. The following is a roster of current Cabinet members, as well as certain of their underlings who foreign states may deal with on a frequent basis.
Chancellor of the Treasury – Cyriol Striova
Chancellor, Home Office – Oscira Spen
└Ministry of Education and Employment – Kriolk Totras
└-Provost, University of Kraetras – Rhiorion Khan
└Ministry of Sanitation and Housing – Belgo Kuraet
└Ministry of Health – Dr. Kieper Goslan
└-Provost, Center for Vector Control – Dr. Lonry Surraent
└Ministry of Commerce – Jems Carthar
└-Secretary of Transportation – Gordon Parthan
└Ministry of Information – Jackson Dario IV
└--Provost, Parliamentary Library – Ethel Chiapermann
└-Secretary for Elections – Dana Literberman
└Ministry of Justice – Saria Tella
└-Secretary of Law Enforcement – Piotr van Miors
└-Secretary of Rehabilitation – Jamal diDassa
└Ministry of Interior – Kara diMontre
└-Secretary of Agriculture – Amelia Ferndon
└-Secretary of the Environment – Walter Dowd
Chancellor, Foreign Office – Franko Obner
└Ministry of State – Reesa diWebb
└Ministry of Imports – Kiel Varos
└Ministry of Exports – Lawrence Faberte
Chancellor, Armed Forces – Wing-Admiral (Ret.) Zuvia Phanrith
└Army – Brigadier General Margaret Talaveras
└Air Force – Wing-Admiral Dirk Blakenly
└Militia – Commander Jason Bandrell
(as a side-note, I should say I have disbanded the Coast Guard and the Navy. We have no coastline, and my predecessor’s Chancellor of the Treasury is currently being questioned regarding where the money went.)
Chancellor, Science Office – Jeffis Tharnum
└Provost, Lanvastus Space Center – Haj Laegh
└Provost, Rullyn Super-Collider – (vacant)
└Provost, Sodoc Nuclear Facility – Tyna Owaeryn
In any event, our Ministry of Information and the Foreign Office stand ready to answer any and all questions you may have regarding our fair land. State visits are also welcome, as long as it is not harvest time, as one of our laws require even politicians like myself to take part in the harvest, so that we do not forget our roots, er, branches… oh, whatever.
Respectfully yours,
Illuminary President Vax Trement
Free Land of Xontaro
Upon the election of Illuminary President Vax Trement, following the impeachment and rehabilitation of his predecessor, he commissioned a complete overview of relations between our various Villages and the relations of the Free Land of Xontaro with foreign states. Therefore, it has come to our attention that many nations of the world are unaware our fine nation. It is our intention to educate the leaders and the peoples of the world regarding our History, our Government and our Defining Principles.
History:
Our land was once a scattered number of villages, all built high within the virgin forest trees which cover most of our land. Such placement of our homes was based on several key considerations: protection from predators, preservation of farmland, and proximity to bippi-nuts, the key ingredient of our Gross National Product.
The bippi-nut is essential to the production of Bippi Cola, Bippi Bars, and the currently regulated Bippi Beer.
Several generations ago, however, disaster struck parts of the southern forests. A curious blight struck the bippi-nut industry. However, other portions of the land were not affected. In order to ameliorate the consequences, a distinguished man by the name of Xontaro sought to pool resources, and helped to forge lasting bonds of trade and respect between the scattered villages.
It was only a matter of time before the needs of the administration of trade, import, and export demanded more organization, and the beginning stages of consolidation of our land into one nation began to be seen. Eventually, much to chagrin of Xontaro himself, we became the Free Lands of Xontaro, with him as our first Illuminary President (although he tried to escape several times).
Government:
Our government is made up of four distinct parts: the People, the Parliament, the Cabinet, and the Courts.
The People vote on various measures twice a year, and voting is mandatory. Only by insuring that each person contributes to the governing of our nation can we ensure that each person’s liberties and rights are safe-guarded.
The People vote on any law that would restrict civil rights or liberties. Laws may only be passed if they receive a 65% majority vote or better.
The Parliament is made up of two parts: elected and appointed members. Elected members serve for a maximum term of six years, and their numbers are determined by each village, according to their population; each village is entitled to at least one representative. Appointed members are appointed to the Parliament serve for a maximum term of four years; and may be appointed by the Illuminary President, the Parliament or the People by public acclamation. The President may not appoint more than 25% of the appointed members of Parliament, and appointed members may not total more than 45% of Parliament.
Parliament votes on the Government budget, proposes laws, and votes on whether to pass laws on to either the People or to the Courts for review. Parliament also writes resolutions, acts as the prosecution of officials accused of wrong-doing, assists in the selection and confirmation of appointees, writes clarifications of existing laws, and assists in the forming of the new Cabinet under each new Illuminary President.
The Illuminary President is elected by the People. Each political party is required to submit at least three candidates for the position of President during the secondary elections (held in the spring), the top five candidates are then put on the ballot of the primary elections (held in the fall). The candidate receiving the least votes in this primary election becomes Chancellor of the Treasury. The Illuminary President has a maximum term of four years, but can be removed by a vote of no-confidence by the Parliament or the people.
The Illuminary President is responsible for appointing Cabinet members, deciding basic policy (as long as it doesn’t interfere or contradict existing laws), and for appointing members to the Parliament and the Courts.
The High Court is made up of 15 members. These members are appointed, although any one of them may be removed from office by a vote of the People. Parliament may propose appointments to the High Court to the President, and Parliament must approve any appointments made by the President. High Court Justices may serve for life; however this requires their appointments to be reconfirmed, by Parliament, every five years.
Empty offices within the lower courts and the Courts of Appeal are also filled by appointment by the President (although the Ministry of Justice usually handles the actual decisions), and the President usually listens to recommendations made by Parliament. Parliament is responsible for approving these appointments as well.
The High Court is responsible for hearing cases where the Government is defendant or plaintiff, reviewing pending legislation, and reviewing existing legislation.
All officials, elected or appointed, are required to swear to uphold the Constitution of the Free Lands of Xontaro, and any breach of the Constitution is punishable under charges of treason. Also, any member of the Government who votes for or enforces a law is liable for civil damages arising from that law.
A copy of the Constitution of the Free Lands of Xontaro is available at no cost to any interested party. Copies of case law and the Unified Civil and Criminal Code are also available upon request, at cost (a complimentary copy is provided for free to any ambassador from a foreign country, however).
It should be noted that the Free Lands of Xontaro does not recognize the concept of diplomatic immunity in cases of felony and capital crimes.
Organization
Besides the Parliament, the President, and the High Court and attendant courts, much day-to-day operations and policy-making falls to the Cabinet. The following is a roster of current Cabinet members, as well as certain of their underlings who foreign states may deal with on a frequent basis.
Chancellor of the Treasury – Cyriol Striova
Chancellor, Home Office – Oscira Spen
└Ministry of Education and Employment – Kriolk Totras
└-Provost, University of Kraetras – Rhiorion Khan
└Ministry of Sanitation and Housing – Belgo Kuraet
└Ministry of Health – Dr. Kieper Goslan
└-Provost, Center for Vector Control – Dr. Lonry Surraent
└Ministry of Commerce – Jems Carthar
└-Secretary of Transportation – Gordon Parthan
└Ministry of Information – Jackson Dario IV
└--Provost, Parliamentary Library – Ethel Chiapermann
└-Secretary for Elections – Dana Literberman
└Ministry of Justice – Saria Tella
└-Secretary of Law Enforcement – Piotr van Miors
└-Secretary of Rehabilitation – Jamal diDassa
└Ministry of Interior – Kara diMontre
└-Secretary of Agriculture – Amelia Ferndon
└-Secretary of the Environment – Walter Dowd
Chancellor, Foreign Office – Franko Obner
└Ministry of State – Reesa diWebb
└Ministry of Imports – Kiel Varos
└Ministry of Exports – Lawrence Faberte
Chancellor, Armed Forces – Wing-Admiral (Ret.) Zuvia Phanrith
└Army – Brigadier General Margaret Talaveras
└Air Force – Wing-Admiral Dirk Blakenly
└Militia – Commander Jason Bandrell
(as a side-note, I should say I have disbanded the Coast Guard and the Navy. We have no coastline, and my predecessor’s Chancellor of the Treasury is currently being questioned regarding where the money went.)
Chancellor, Science Office – Jeffis Tharnum
└Provost, Lanvastus Space Center – Haj Laegh
└Provost, Rullyn Super-Collider – (vacant)
└Provost, Sodoc Nuclear Facility – Tyna Owaeryn
In any event, our Ministry of Information and the Foreign Office stand ready to answer any and all questions you may have regarding our fair land. State visits are also welcome, as long as it is not harvest time, as one of our laws require even politicians like myself to take part in the harvest, so that we do not forget our roots, er, branches… oh, whatever.
Respectfully yours,
Illuminary President Vax Trement
Free Land of Xontaro