A WEAK CABINET MINISTER - ABCNYHETTER 11-12-09
Dag Terje Andersen Minister of Labour and Social Inclusion
A WEAK CABINET MINISTER
Chief physician Kari Todnem is a member of the committee for the North Sea Divers. In her opinion, minister Dag Terje Andersen is “weak” and now she demands a clarification on the terms of reference for the committee.
The Divers Committee has been divided in the way they interpret the terms of reference, whether divers who do not hold a full membership in the Norwegian Social Security Office (Folketrygden), also should be entitled to compensation. Chief physician Kari Todnem, who herself is a member of the committee, confirms this dissension.
By Ola Karlsen ABC News
http://www.abcnyheter.no/node/83400
In her opinion, minister Dag Terje Andersen in the Arbeids- and inkluderingsdepartement (AID) (Labour and Social Inclusion Department), should have made a clarification on several issues concerning the interpretation of the terms of reference.
- Our problem has been two unclear points in the terms of reference, she says to ABC News.
Todnem points to the dissension and unclarity whether only divers diving offshore should be entitled to compensation and the dispute about membership in social security (Folketrygden).
- The Department (AID) should early on have sent the Terms of Reference back to the Stortinget (Parliament) for clarification. It is meaningless that a committee responsible for the implementation of Parliament’s directions shall rely on guesswork, and use a lot of time to discuss what Parliament really have meant by the actual wording, she says.
Kari Todnem has earlier told the Dagbladet that Parliament probably has not taken into account the situation for British divers, for one thing.
Weak Cabinet Minister
In his answer to questions from the Kontroll- og konstitusjons kommiteen (Parliamentary control committee) mid December, the minister Andersen says that it has been up to the Divers Committee to interpret the parliamentary decisions. He also advocates that it must be the Divers Committee that must be held responsible in a prospective court trial, as many of the surviving relatives of deceased divers now consider.
- Minister Dag Terje Andersen’s comments confirms one more time the cowardly stance that they have taken in this case, concludes Todnem.
- The only way to progress in this matter, is to send the Terms of Reference back to Parliament for clarification, is her opinion.
Todnem feels it is wrong that divers who had only an employee insurance (yrkesrelatert forsikring) should be denied any form of compensation.
- Why should the divers apply for professional rights through the Folketrygden (Social security), if it wasn’t in fact to ensure compensation in case of injury or death during professional work, she says rhetorically.
She also does not believe it will be a billion extra in compensation costs for the State, as the Committee leader Stein Huseby speculates. Todnem does not believe it will amount to thousands of new divers entitled to compensation.
- And by the way, it is not within the mandate for the Committee to guard the Government’s money. The Government manages that well on their own.
Shooting at the piano player
She also expresses appreciation for the Committee leader Stein Huseby as an experienced and competent jurist.
- He has really worked admirably and competently for the committee, and we have all of us tried our best to make as just and good decisions as humanely possible, when in doubt leaned toward the best for the diver/surviving relatives like the Terms of Reference demands.
- When Stein Huseby now receives insulting e-mails from disappointed and furious relatives, it is an expression of their frustration. They actually shoot the pianists who are really trying to interpret the wording of the mandate (TOR) as best as they can.
Todnem now fears new court trials if not Parliament can make the necessary clarifications.
- That is unworthy! I have myself taken part in numerous trials in this country on the behalf of the divers and I am getting terribly tired of it. The Government appears to have all the time in the world, lawyers and the money to fight against people who have suffered injuries in their profession and who have had their lives ruined in the quest for the black gold, she concludes.