Bureaucratic Efficiency and Citizen Protection Act

Whereas, governmental red tape in many countries constitutes a burden on citizens worldwide, making it difficult or next to impossible to procure driver’s licenses, permits, vehicle license plates, passports, or other official documents necessary to function within modern society;

Whereas, government bureaucrats who are guardians of these systems of imposition are often impolite and arrogant, making the lives of citizens difficult and unhappy;

Whereas, governments often increase bureaucratic red tape as a false solution to problems of modern living rather than addressing the real causes of these problems;

Whereas, Article 11 of the Earth Constitution, numbers 6, 7, and 9, give the World Ombudsmus the authority to protect the people of Earth in a multiplicity of ways, including with respect to “procedures” [that] “become stultified in bureaucracy or details of administration.”

We delegates of the Provisional World Parliament at its 11th session, do hereby enact the Red Tape Reduction and Citizen Protection Act.

• The government of the Earth Federation, in all of its agencies, institutes, offices, and branches shall ensure efficient governmental processes and operations necessary for the effective functioning of the Earth Federation. Instead of citizens serving bureaucracies, government agencies and offices shall be in the service of citizens.

• A sub-agency of the World Ombudsmus is hereby created to deal the problems of red tape and bureaucratic inefficiency within the Earth Federation. It is named the “Government Business, Processes, and Operations Agency (GBPO). This agency has three major functions. First, it shall study and formulate standards efficiency, clarity, and fairness applicable to all government functioning. Second, the agency shall play an oversight role ensuring compliance by all government offices with these publically formulated standards of efficiency. Third, the agency shall function as a resort for appeal by citizens of the Earth Federation that have encountered serious bureaucratic roadblocks in dealing with government offices.
  • The GBTO shall maintain expertise on the latest innovations and techniques and send periodic reports to all government agencies concerning these matters. The World Parliament shall have oversight of this agency and define its complete functions and limitations. Any regulations for government offices formulated by this agency are subject to approval by the World Parliament.
  • Individuals within agencies not cooperating with the GBPO shall be subject to subpoena and possible prosecution in world courts, providing the GBPO can show probable cause of willful lack of cooperation or willful obstruction of advice on how to reduce red tape.
  • The World Parliament, beginning with its first operative stage of functioning under Article 17 of the Earth Constitution, will pass legislative guidelines as to the requirements for minimizing red tape and the penalties for obstructing the work of the World Ombudsmus in this regard.

• The GBPO will also function as a resort of last appeal for citizens believing they have met bureaucratic road blocks or impossible dilemmas in an attempt to meet the requirements of licenses, permits, or other necessary documents. The Agency will function as an advocate for citizens, and will maintain direct telephone and email access to government bureaucracies worldwide.
  • If the agency sees a citizen complaint as legitimate, it will intervene on behalf of the citizen. If it believes a real impediment to smooth functioning has been erected by a government agency or bureaucrat, the Advocate will have the option of prosecuting the head of the Agency or bureaucrat responsible.
  • In consultation with the Office of the World Ombudsmus and the World Attorney General, the World Parliament will determine a range of penalties for violations of this law as well as the oversight conditions for the operation of this agency.

• All agencies, institutes, offices, and branches of the Earth Federation shall schedule to examine their bureaucratic procedures and requirements for efficiency and user friendliness at least every five years. The offices of the Government Business, Processes, and Operations Agency(GBPO) have access to the reports of such self-examinations in order to monitor and facilitate red tape reduction and citizen protection worldwide.

Attested: Eugenia Almand, JD, Provisional World Parliament

Provisional World Parliament, 11th Session, Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Nainital, India