The King's Diary: The Kingdom's Power Company

Dear Me:

Things seem to be falling apart as the TKP is deeply divided. What an opportunity to demonstrate what I really am: a visionary leader.

Of course the infighting within the TKP is nothing. The newspapers waste a lot of paper by failing to understand that the infighting is just for show. No one in the inner circles of the TKP wants to be kicked out. All those so called leaders are too comfortable where they are to risk their privileged positions. What I don’t like though, is the lack of direction my people demonstrate. This is a challenge to my leadership!

The TKP officials consistently fail to see that our popularity is waning. The Kingdom has to grow economically to avoid that people become really restless. At the same time, the TKP needs to reward its officials for their help during the election campaigns. Still this does not mean the Government should cough up what it has been ordered to by the tribunal for this power deal. I appreciate that powerful TKP officials are behind it. I appreciate even more that they intend to channel money received from this deal into the TKP. But we need to stop doing business this way. For starters because the Government’s coffers are empty. More importantly because the Kingdom needs a well functioning Kingdoms Power Company (KIPOCO), if it is to grow. Sucking more blood from it is not going to help!

So I have decided: we won’t pay and will return the generators instead. If in addition money needs to be paid I will propose a solution that strengthens KIPOCO. For instance by giving the complainants shares in the company. That aligns their interests with those of KIPOCO. The shares are worthless now but they could well become valuable in the future once KIPOCO starts to perform. When that happens, money from those shares could be channelled into the TKP. Till that time the TKP officials will need to wait for their reward. Or better, they should be encouraged to start businesses themselves.