A few comments from my predecessor as LRA on a different Forum thread caught my eye:
[quote] Does it hamper the working of government? Potentially. I don't think a meeting has been inquorate since we resigned. You've had problems posting transcripts of meetings in a timely fashion and you've been obsessed with process as opposed to policy for the whole of this term. But neither of those problems are our fault.. [/quote]
I can't speak for any of the parties having a spat in THAT thread, but as for the RA in general, I can share a few comments.
Late transcripts? Maybe :) What's the SLA? It's my fault, if so, since the 24th March. I guess that, as a dead-new RA member, thrust into the thick of things suddenly, with a complete vacuum of leadership, it took me a while to learn the systems and get admin access from the Old Guard. (And thanks again to Pat for the cross-posting he did voluntarily anyway, after resigning, while I had zero access.) Personally I do not feel responsible for the vacuum ... but as of now, yes, any delays are "my bad". I'm quite imperfect. Still, I hope that administration of the RA generally is improving.
Process versus substance? Hmm. Yes, I did see some of that in the RA transcripts, so far this term. Extreme, annoying rule-jockeying *often* results from factional squabling in legislatures. A number of RL parliaments, including in Pat's home country and mine, have ground to a halt ... for a term or two ... when feuding factions make chewing on each others' legs a higher priority than working on legislative substance.
It may be that a cordial tone, set from the top -- with professionalism, and an absence of personal attacks and recriminations -- eventually will help continue to re-direct energy away from rule-mongering, and towards progress. All help in maintaining that tone will be gratefully accepted.
One thing that cheers me is that we seem to have a "dream team" of great RA candidates for the open by-election RA positions. Assuming that they themselves are prepared to serve, every single one of the declared candidates is a positive, articulate hard worker and a constructive member of our community. So we all can have high expectations for progress and a continued collaborative spirit. Regards Jamie
