Memorandum of Conversation
Participants:
- Basil Ambrose Shrikeweed, Deputy Chief for Policy Analysis - Office of Legislative Affairs
- Honoria Eleanor Braithwaite-Kilcoyne - Perpetual Permanent Secretary - Office of Legislative Affairs
Date and Place:
The 6th of Intas, 2719 from forty-one minutes past 9, to eleven minutes past 10, in Chancery,
Office of The Perpetual Permanent Secretary
Memorandum:
On the morning of the 6th of Intas, I was summoned to the office of the Perpetual Permanent Secretary, Ms Braithwaite-Kilcoyne, to take upon my person the charge of acting as Legislative Councilor to Incumbent Vauquelin. The man is known to me, though not well, though I had been aware of his ill-health and of certain rumors circulating in government about the apparent slowness of his recovery. The Secretary informed me in greater detail as to the as-current understanding of the Incumbent’s condition, the various rumors surrounding his indisposition, with a view to sending me to monitor, assist, and above all assess the Incumbent.
I took on the charge reluctantly, but in matters of the Service, one goes where one is assigned. I inquired of the Secretary if she would be so good as to supply me with any additional background. She presented me with a number of files regarding the Incumbent’s history and political career. I was also supplied with copies of his schedule, reconstructed minutes of several of his meetings, and an accounting of his votes. These records later proved to be woefully incomplete. This raised my suspicions as to the exact propriety of this assignment. Facsimiles of same are enclosed in Appendices A through F.
I inquired of the Secretary if she could explain further what the nature of the assignment was to be, its length, and any matters of standing or prerogative that were to vary from my current remit. The Secretary replied that I was to assume the prerogatives of a Permanent Private Secretary and Councilor (Contingent), with all the duties and restrictions thereof. My main duty would be to steer the Incumbent, whose behavior had become inconsistent and erratic over the last months, towards benign and sound policies, and to reduce his emerging eccentricities. Further, I was to gather information about the Incumbent’s capacity to remain in his current post and, at the end of Bethas, to provide recommendations in that vein.
It was my understanding at the time that it was thought that after this period of analysis, that the logical and expected outcome would be a recommendation that the Incumbent be pressured to resign. I took that view under advisement, but resolved to make my own assessment as fairly as was practicable. This was within the scope of my new prerogatives.
The interview terminated at eleven minutes past 10, at which point I thanked the Secretary for her confidence in me, and returned to my office to review documentation and form a plan of action regarding the Incumbent.
I took on the charge reluctantly, but in matters of the Service, one goes where one is assigned. I inquired of the Secretary if she would be so good as to supply me with any additional background. She presented me with a number of files regarding the Incumbent’s history and political career. I was also supplied with copies of his schedule, reconstructed minutes of several of his meetings, and an accounting of his votes. These records later proved to be woefully incomplete. This raised my suspicions as to the exact propriety of this assignment. Facsimiles of same are enclosed in Appendices A through F.
I inquired of the Secretary if she could explain further what the nature of the assignment was to be, its length, and any matters of standing or prerogative that were to vary from my current remit. The Secretary replied that I was to assume the prerogatives of a Permanent Private Secretary and Councilor (Contingent), with all the duties and restrictions thereof. My main duty would be to steer the Incumbent, whose behavior had become inconsistent and erratic over the last months, towards benign and sound policies, and to reduce his emerging eccentricities. Further, I was to gather information about the Incumbent’s capacity to remain in his current post and, at the end of Bethas, to provide recommendations in that vein.
It was my understanding at the time that it was thought that after this period of analysis, that the logical and expected outcome would be a recommendation that the Incumbent be pressured to resign. I took that view under advisement, but resolved to make my own assessment as fairly as was practicable. This was within the scope of my new prerogatives.
The interview terminated at eleven minutes past 10, at which point I thanked the Secretary for her confidence in me, and returned to my office to review documentation and form a plan of action regarding the Incumbent.
Status - Confidential
- Filed under seal to Mr Reginald Sebastian Wiggins
- Copies filed under seal to Ms Isabella Eloise Hattersleigh,esq, Pocket, Pockett,
and Hattersleigh (personal attorney)
- Copies filed under seal to the Office of the Deputy Chief for Policy Analysis
