Corruption or the Lack of Common Sense
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by Auggustus
L.S
In a recent article by the LP, there was an accusation that there was “preferential treatment” and that “…high level oligarchs use the state companies…”.
Upon seeing and reading the article, words could not describe what was racing through my head. I can spend an entire article writing about that, but I won’t. Reason: It’s pointless!
However I do feel that certain things should be, and must be said. So here I go.
The LP has approached this situation rather inadequately, in fact they never even approached me, the Minister of State Companies as minister is to answer the questions people have regarding state companies, that is what transparency is. It is not my job to post every persons wages for the public, if that were the case I would resign my function immediately! The CAO states the minimum wage on what people should be earning. Furthermore it is the liberty of the manager, the minister and the secretary on what people should be paid.
A wage of 20 Nlg is not excessive in any case. UNL Moving had for a while now not enough people working there and the country is in need of moving tickets for military purposes. A higher level employee is not always available, and in this case it was decided to pay a higher wage than the market offer, this is called an incentive. We gave him a reason to work there.
The LP article claimed the following: Corruption.
Definition “Corporate Corruption”: the abuse of power by corporate managers against shareholders or consumers.
Is this the case? No. Corruption is when a manager or a minister is stealing funds or using state resources unlawfully to their own advantage.
Is the state losing money because we have paid him a high wage? No because he still makes a profit on the product he is producing.
Therefore I ask my readers this:
Does the LP article lack common sense?
…. I will let you be the judge of that!
Auggustus
Minister of State Companies
PS. For those of you wishing to know what an Oligarchy is, look it up on wikidepia!
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Comments
Please do also read my comments on the Libertarian Party's Article.
Also, Voted. You are right, but the Libertarian Party did not have the intention for the article to have the effect it has now.
Well my point is they should have asked before they makean accusation like they did. I suggest removing your article.
Voted for a good article..
voted
@Auggustus - "Well my point is they should have asked before they makean accusation like they did"
But the article was ultimately about government transparency, if the party had asked the relevant people using PMs or whatever, how does that help the cause of governmental transparency?
@thomas, We have forums where you can ask about these things. Its not a secret.
What bothers me most however is that you have made a false accusation for personal gain. I see your article as an attack against me and I find it insulting. As minister, I am the one responsible. An accusation of corruption is unfounded! ESPECIALLY when your proof lacking.
UNL Moving is run as a company for the state and is run as if it is a normal company seeking to run efficiently and minimize the costs. Furthermore if you had even bothered to ask me I could tell you that the wage is in line with what other employees are receiving at the company. 20 Nlg is NOT excessive nor any form of corruption!
The government should higher the taxes and invest in private sectors instead of having state companies.
The government have these companies for three reasons,
Training: so that the private sector have trained and skilled workers and thus do not need to have these costs themselves
Defense: So that the government does not need to raise taxes and depend primarily on the private sector
Foreign investment: to ensure lower costs of investment on all citizens
Yes, we need to help private to make profit on the work of others.
Look, some people are able to spend € (like me ) or spend enough time to manage a private company and make IG profit.
All people need to have a job. Worker create something by they work. This product is sell by the company. BUT, the reason of the company is profit. The difference between the wages and the selling of product is benefits... make ON the work of others people.
By the way, this gold obtain on the work of others... can go all around the world. We never can be sure this gold will serve to our economy (new company, invest on better products, in weapon stock, etc) or be invest in foreign country.
This will be my first and last statement about this issue.
But, realy, help me to gain gold, please!
I agree with you that the LP could have written the article less as a statement that there is corruption, and more a question on what is happening. I got the feeling they agree with it themselves now too.
However, two small remarks to your article and comments:
* there is nothing wrong with asking ministers questions in public in my opinion.
* we - "ministers in general" - can and should not require specific articles to be removed, but answer them with explanations, comments or own articles; like you did.
Boklevski, "there is nothing wrong with asking ministers questions in public in my opinion.". That is exactly what Auggustus meant... but they never asked him. Instead they wrote an article with a rather nasty tone to it. I call that article as I see it: slander...gossip... rubbish!
@Boklevski - "I got the feeling they agree with it themselves now too"
Pretty much agreed. As the publishing of IRC conversations is also not allowed, this is a definate regret.
@Jofel - "Instead they wrote an article with a rather nasty tone to it. I call that article as I see it: slander...gossip... rubbish!"
The article didnt publish names - and the party had no intention of revealing them. The article just made it clear that this event had happened, and the LP had an opinion on it.