Although she touts herself as a transparent Attorney General, Pam Bondi continued to prove otherwise after Tuesday's Cabinet meeting.

She is the top law enforcement official in Florida and works closely with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, yet Bondi hasn't said a peep publicly about the abrupt departure of Commissioner Gerald Bailey.

Bondi is no bystander. As a member of the Cabinet, she is one of four votes of the FDLE Commissioner position. Without providing a public explanation, she voted Tuesday to appoint Bailey's replacement, Rick Swearingen.

With Bailey now telling Times/Herald Capitol Bureau Chief Steve Bousquet that he was forced out, what does Bondi have to say about her role? Has she communicated at all with Gov. Rick Scott's administration on Bailey's departure? Or does she not know,ceding her duties to Scott? Did she ask Scott any questions about why Bailey, after three decades with the FDLE, was suddenly leaving?

Bailey told Bousquet that Scott's general counsel told him that Scott had the support of Bondi and the other two cabinet members (CFO Jeff Atwater and Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam) in ousting him.

So how did Bondi explain her role to reporters after Tuesday's Cabinet meeting? She didn't.

Question: Youre in law enforcement, you havent said anything about (Baileys) exit. Can you shed a little light on your feelings of Bailey leaving the FDLE?

Bondi: Oh, I think hes an amazing man. Its interesting because I almost talked about him today.

Question: Why didnt you?

Bondi: It escaped me. They kept going. But hes a very private man. But Ive been talking to my staff about doing something in his honor.

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Bondi stonewalls on questions about exit of FDLE's Bailey

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Installing Kitchen Cabinets | Kitchen Cabinet Installation ...

Three months after a drawn-out and controversial election, analysts give Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's performance mixed marks. While they credit him for his work ethic and eagerness to make necessary changes, the former finance minister and World Bank economist is also under fire for failing to form a cabinet at a crucial time for the country.

Ghani came to power in September 2014, following a disputed poll overshadowed by fraud claims which only ended when he and his electoral rival Abdullah Abdullah signed a power-sharing deal to form a national unity government. The US-brokered agreement also created the position of chief executive officer, a post akin to prime minister, which was filled by Abdullah.

One of Ghani's first acts during his first 100 days in office was to sign the Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) with the United States, which former Afghan President Hamid Karzai had refused to sign. The BSA not only ensured that US and NATO troops could remain in Afghanistan, but also removed a significant thorn in the US-Afghanistan relationship.

The US-brokered agreement between Ghani and Abdullah created the position of chief executive officer

A 'welcome change'

Furthermore, Ghani spent his first two months acting on a clear reform agenda. He not only announced plans for sweeping political changes, but also re-opened an investigation into the Kabul Bank scandal, all of which were well received. The president also spent a good deal of time traveling abroad seeking to convince key allies that he was serious about implementing these changes.

"All in all Ghani has in many respects established himself as a welcome change from his predecessor, Hamid Karzai. He has proven to be a tireless worker and extremely hands-on and done well managing, at least publically, the awkward power-sharing arrangement hatched with CEO Abdullah Abdullah," Jason Campbell, an international security expert at the US-based RAND Corporation, told DW.

The problem is that Ghani, while being decisive and reform-oriented, has so far acted alone. He has failed to agree on a cabinet with Abdullah. While this may have allowed Ghani to act with a great deal of flexibility and decisiveness in the short-term, analysts believe that the ensuing problems may quickly undermine the legitimacy of this government and the two men who are supposed to lead it.

No ministers

Moreover, experts are of the view that the political vacuum also threatens to hamper the fight against a resurgent insurgency. According to media reports, many Afghans are attributing the ongoing economic and security crisis to the fact that no ministers have been appointed to oversee these important ministries.

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No cabinet in sight as Ghani marks 100 days as Afghan president

(MENAFN - Daily News Egypt) The government has begun to remove all obstacles impeding implementation of the National Roads Project to begin expropriating for the public benefit, according to Prime Minister Mehleb. This will provide adequate compensation and expedited customs procedures to release the equipment necessary to carry out the project.

According to a cabinet statement, the Prime Minister, along with Transportation Minister Hany Dahi, reviewed the situation for each road and means to overcome their various obstacles. The project will cover 1,250km and 13 roads divided into 22 projects, with 16 companies carrying out the work.

Dakar Abdellah, a member of the Egyptian Union of Construction & Building Contractors and the Construction Committee of the Businessmen's Association, said that the National Roads Project's bitumen needs are estimated at approximately EGP 750m per month. This is for a total of nearly EGP 6bn when the project is finished next September.

In a Wednesday press statement, Abdellah stressed the need for bank financing to be integrated. He pointed out that a large amount of bitumen is required to implement this mega-project, and that utilising three layers of asphalt will require implementing 670,020 tonnes of bitumen.

He emphasised that the project would be implemented by September 2015 as per the schedule, as President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi wants 208,752 tonnes of bitumen supplied per month.

Total production for Egyptian laboratories, in addition to bitumen imports, reach approximately 84,490 per month.

Mehleb stressed the need to ensure safety and security during implementation of these projects, while simultaneously paying attention to quality. He warned that low-quality implementation for any project would not be acceptable, and requested that any company that finds itself unable to implement the project leave the work to others.

"We must set out modified timelines for road projects which will be followed-up on weekly," Mehleb said, emphasising that each company head would be responsible for the details of each project.

On Tuesday evening, Mehleb met with the Minister of Transportation at his ministry's headquarters in addition to General Authority for Roads, Bridges, and Land Transport (GARBLT) officials and officials from companies undertaking the project in order to follow up on the progress of implementation of the road network within the framework of the project.

During the meeting, those present reviewed the situation of five roads in the Project's framework that have operated unhindered.

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Egypt- Government begins accelerating implementation of National Roads Project: Cabinet

Published on January 05, 2015

Ron Clarke

Published on February 13, 2014

Julian Fantino

SYDNEY Cape Breton veterans advocate Ron Clarke said he isn't optimistic anything will change as a result of Monday's cabinet shuffle.

"We didn't lose anything by having him (Fantino) fired, and we didn't gain anything either by them putting in (Erin) O'Toole. I can't put all the blame on (Fantino) because Mr. Harper runs the show and they'll do what Mr. Harper tells them to do," he said in a phone interview with the Cape Breton Post on Monday afternoon.

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Clarke, who was named newsmaker of the year by the Cape Breton Post last week, has become a household name when it comes to cuts to Veterans Affairs. He led his charge to the nation's capital where he met with parliamentarians, senators and other officials to protest cuts made under Fantino's leadership. He has asked for the reopening of eight Veterans Affairs offices that were closed last year, including the one in Sydney.

"It's not a democracy, especially when Harper says 'Jump' and they say 'How high?'" Clarke said.

Clarke said he doesn't have high expectations for Fantino's replacement, O'Toole.

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Cape Breton veteran reacts to cabinet shuffle

Patna: It was a hectic Monday for Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi - ducking a shoe and later the accusation that he was trying to "run out" his boss, Nitish Kumar, by sledging his cabinet colleagues.

"Nitish is my captain and he has given me the chance to bat, so I'm doing the batting and at a time, four players can't bat at the crease," Mr Manjhi told reporters at the weekly Janta Durbar - the public meeting he holds every Monday at his home in Patna.

Yesterday, accusing some of his cabinet colleagues of doubting his ability to perform, Mr Majhi had said some people say he was playing test cricket and others say One Day International and T20. "But I'll deliver on my promises irrespective of whatever version of the game I get to play," he had said.

"Only when I get bowled out, the Captain will think of replacement. But it remains to be seen whether I will get out or not," Mr Manjhi further said today.

Amid this, a man was arrested after he threw a shoe at the Chief Minister, which missed its mark. The man has been identified by the police as Amitesh, who is from Chhapra.

As he was being led away by the police, Amitesh reportedly alleged how his grievances had not been addressed despite attending the meeting for the last two years. The man was also accusing politicians of indulging in casteism, said Senior Superintendent of Police Jitendra Rana.

After initial interrogation, police sources said he had been involved in two cases. Once he had even been sent to jail for travelling on train without a ticket. It is possible that he is mentally disbalanced, an officer said.

The 'Janta Darbar' was started by Mr Manjhi's predecessor Nitish Kumar a few years ago, where the chief minister listens to grievances from the public.

Confirming that a slipper was indeed thrown, Mr Manjhi said an inquiry will "reveal the truth".

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Bihar Chief Minister Ducks Shoe, Bouncers on Nitish Kumar

MAIN MAN: The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet's new head, Michael Thawley. Photo: Nic Walker

Ian Watt's departure as secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and his replacement by Ian Thawley mark the end of the Abbott government's first full year in office. What conclusions can we draw about its approach to senior appointments in the Australian Public Service?

Thawley's appointment, like that of John Fraser to Treasury (still to be officially confirmed), is in keeping with the government's stated aim of bringing the APS closer to the business community. Both come from high-profile private sector positions with first-hand experience of how business operates. However, both began their career as public servants and moved to the private sector only after extensive experience in major Canberra departments. Their appointment does not reflect any major shift to a United States-style pattern of appointing business people without any previous government experience to senior public service positions. Nor has the Abbott government turned its back on Canberra insiders, as the appointment of Jane Halton to the Finance Department attests. Similarly, the three secretaries dismissed immediately after the election were all replaced by career APS bureaucrats, not political appointees.

TREASURY-BOUND: John Fraser, who is likely to replace Martin Parkinson. Photo: Erin Jonasson

Thawley and Fraser will not seriously threaten the APS values of non-partisan professionalism. Indeed, they may help to strengthen these values. Unscarred by the dysfunctional pathologies of the Rudd era and its aftermath, they can bring fresh energy to the urgent task of rebuilding relationships between the public service and the political branch.

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Thawley, in his first public statement as secretary-elect, confirmed his support for a non-political public service, unlike the American system he observed at first hand as Australia's ambassador. He also stressed two further points: the importance of telling governments what they need to know, not what they want to know; and the need to maintain a good relationship between the department and the Prime Minister's office. Such sentiments will be most welcome to those Canberra watchers who have been dismayed at the growing gap between public servants and ministerial advisers, and at the increasing marginalisation of public service advice. Ministers, too, it has been hinted, have become impatient with officials who are unwilling to give their own firm views on policy matters. After years of being pressured to trim their advice to suit the inclinations of ministers' offices, many senior public servants seem to have lost the will to give independent opinions. The time-honoured pendulum between responsiveness and independence has swung too far towards responsiveness. Thawley may be the right person to help adjust the balance.

Thawley is reported to be on friendly terms with Prime Minister Tony Abbott's chief of staff, Peta Credlin, and her husband Brian Loughnane, which some hostile critics will see as evidence of undue partisan connection. But provided the distinctive roles are clearly understood and Thawley remains focused on tendering robust policy advice to the government, good personal relations will be a bonus, not a hindrance. The most pressing long-term need in present-day government is to let (or make) ministers pay serious attention to sound policy advice. The familiar catalogue of recent developments, including the 24-hour media cycle and the growth in numbers and influence of political advisers, is making this task ever harder. If Thawley can build an effective conduit for soundly based public service advice through his relationship with Credlin, so much the better.

The timing of Watt's retirement as PM&C secretary, though later than some had predicted, still fits a common pattern. Incoming prime ministers tend to rely on the incumbent secretary to manage the transition. Then, after finding their feet, they expect to make their own appointment of someone they find personally congenial. PM&C secretaries, in their turn, often leave willingly, having come to the end of a particularly intense and exhausting period of service to the previous regime. This practice works well, particularly after a change of government. It depends on the professionalism of the secretaries concerned, who need to be trusted to provide effective transitional support to a government opposed to the one they previously served.

To some extent, the practice is contrary to pure Westminster principle, which requires all public service positions to be appointed on strict merit without any political considerations and that all senior public servants should be expected to serve alternative governments. The breach is relatively minor, however, so long as it does not apply to other secretary positions. Any notion that all incumbent secretaries should retire gracefully to allow incoming ministers to choose their own appointees would be a serious assault on the conventions of a politically neutral, professional public service. A partial exemption can be made in the case of the government's chief policy adviser, provided that the individuals chosen are sufficiently non-partisan to be trusted, if called on, with handling a transition to a new government. (Of secretaries in recent memory, only Max Moore-Wilton fails to meet that test, because of his open partisan identification with John Howard and the Coalition.)

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Michael Thawley: the delicate dance awaiting Prime Minister and Cabinet's new secretary

Cabinet secretary Sir Robert Armstrong set out his increasing disquiet Warned in 1986 memo that corners were being cut in the City Money was being made in ways at least bordering on the unscrupulous Critics claim reforms paved the way for the loadsamoney era Also sowed seeds of 2007 financial crisis which led to economic downturn

By Claire Ellicott and David Wilkes for the Daily Mail

Published: 05:21 EST, 30 December 2014 | Updated: 10:01 EST, 30 December 2014

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Margaret Thatcher was warned that her financial sector reforms would lead to a new culture of unscrupulous practices in the City, according to newly-released government papers.

Her most senior official, Cabinet secretary Sir Robert Armstrong, set out his increasing disquiet about the things that people think are going on in the City.

He said that a bubble was being created that would be pricked and said that corners were being cut and money made in ways that are at least bordering on the unscrupulous.

Margaret Thatcher was warned that her financial sector reforms would lead to a new culture of unscrupulous practices in the City in the 1980s

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Thatcher was warned Big Bang reform of the City would create a bubble that could be 'pricked' by 'unscrupulous' bankers

Weeks before his second term starts, Gov. John Hickenlooper's administration is far from complete.

The Democrat is missing a chief of staff and scrambling to fill five Cabinet positions in an administration that looks far different from the close-knit team that helped propel his first term.

Half of the Cabinet that took office with Hickenlooper in 2011 is gone, along with a number of key aides.

The transition of key officials between terms is not unusual, but the delays in filling the positions may prove problematic. Hickenlooper initially hoped to fill the significant hole left by the departure of Chief of Staff Roxane White by the first week in December, but the post remains open. Kevin Patterson, a longtime adviser, is currently serving as interim chief of staff.

Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper talks about the recent elections, and his second term from his office at the state capitol on Monday, November 24, 2014. (Cyrus McCrimmon, The Denver Post)

The void is troublesome for the governor ahead of a wild-card legislative session where budget questions, controversial issues such as fracking and split partisan control of the chamber will create complications.

"The start of the legislative session is not much more than two weeks away, and the governor's office is missing its key person," said Eric Sondermann, a Denver-based political analyst.

White, who was Hickenlooper's closest aide and a holdover from his Denver mayoral administration, announced her resignation in June and left in November.

Ben Davis, a Democratic consultant close to the administration, said White "had a direct impact on every accomplishment."

"She is the most hands-on chief of staff I've ever worked with," he said. "She was a huge, huge part of the first four years, and I think this change is significant."

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Hickenlooper short five key hires for new Cabinet

With the ruling parties' overwhelming victory in the Dec14 lower house election having put wind in its sails, the third Cabinet of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has started.

Although it seems to be getting under way in a stable manner, a money-and-politics scandal is smoldering in the Cabinet even after the replacement of former Defence Minister Akinori Eto, who was embroiled in a political funds scandal.

The Cabinet also has piles of problems to overcome, including measures to boost the flagging economy and preparing the legal framework to allow the nation to exercise the right of collective self-defence in limited situations.

The change of the defence minister came from Eto's strong intention to resign, according to sources.

"I can't cause trouble with my scandal over political funds while I am assigned to be engaged in the historical security legislation." Visiting Abe in mid-December, Eto opened up his talk with such a phrase. He timed the revelation of his intention for shortly after the latest election.

At the extraordinary Diet session held in September shortly after he assumed the post, Eto was severely questioned by opposition parties about a scandal in which he reportedly revised the political funds reports of his funds management organisation.

It was easy to imagine Eto would be barraged with questions again at an ordinary Diet session to be convened at the beginning of the next year.

The prime minister tried to persuade him to stay in his post, saying, "It should be fine."

Nevertheless, Eto's decision to resign was firm, according to sources.

Some opposition party members claim that Eto's resignation was the third example of a replacement regarding a money-and-politics scandal, following the double resignations of Justice Minister Midori Matsushima and Economy, and Trade and Industry Minister Yuko Obuchi.

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Money-politics scandals smolder in new Japanese Cabinet