They had a good time. Many current and former government councilors travel to other European countries every two years, paid by Schweizer Salinen AG. Includes five star hotel and excursions. Definitely for educational purposes!
Sweezer Salinen AG belongs to the regions of Liechtenstein and the Chancellor. They have a monopoly on salt in our country. For example, our road salt comes from salt pans and table salt comes from them – or at least its import is approved by the monopoly company.
Time has failed
You will soon notice that the company is an anachronism, but it brings a lot of money to the zones that are its owners. Therefore, they are protesting against the dissolution of the company, contrary to the recommendation of the Federal Council. The only thing that is no longer closed to modernization: the board of directors should now have a maximum of nine members, no longer having 27 members. Zones and Liechtenstein should not send government representatives to the board of directors.
As “Tages-Anzeiger” reveals, luxury trips take place every two years. They last for four days. In 2016 we first went to Ibiza and then to Barcelona. In 2018, members of the Government Council first traveled to Salzburg, Austria, then to Perthdeskaten and Pat Riechenhall in Germany. In 2020, the trip was postponed to 2021 due to the Corona: According to the article, this led to Camargue in southern France.
Simon, Tide and McClure
15 current or former government councilors attended. Attendees include Bourne (61, medium) Beatrice Simon and Marcus Tait (55, medium) from Arca, but Mark McLaren (52, FDP) from St. Gallen and Rosemary Whitmer Kissel (65, SVP) from Schaffhausen.
From September 16, 2021 they stayed three nights in the five-star hotel L’Arlatan in Arles. From here, the tour group embarked on trips to Kamark – including a helicopter Sea salt works with the famous city wall near Aigues-Mortes. The area is also known for its wild horses, flamingos and L’Espiguette sandy beaches.
Higher education only
They do not say what the salt jobs cost for the trips, but they do invest an average of CHF 78,000 per year for the training and further education of their team members. Because of the “inspection trips” that take place every two years, and the training efforts in the intervening years are minimal, each board trip costs more than 100,000 francs – which is missing from taxpayers as it is not distributed to the zones.
Urs Hoffmeier, managing director of SaltWorks, defends luxury travel as “exploration travel”. It is about the training and further education of the board of directors. However, the training title does not come at a low cost to consumers and municipalities, which, according to the Swiss Federal Audit Office, have to pay two to four times more overseas due to the monopoly on road salt.
Wurth considers Riesley to be “fair.”
Benedict Worth (SG) and Charles Juillard (JU) were the two current members of the Federal State Council in Reyes from France in 2021. They will be invited on a tour again after they leave – “traditionally”, Salinen boss Hofmeier explains to “Tages-Anzeiger”.
When asked about his involvement in the luxury council, Worth, who has been a member of the State Council for St. Gallen for three years and left the Government Council at the end of May 2020, said: Other plants with alternative technologies for salt extraction are now overseas. However, one can discuss whether it makes sense for the outgoing members of the board to say goodbye. “In my opinion, it’s fair,” said the former mayor of Roppersville-Jonah SG.
Ambitions abound
Current and former members of the Reysley government are unlikely to have direct consequences at the expense of others. But if Benedict Worth becomes a candidate for the Federal Council, the “expedition” will actually undermine his ambitions. (pt)
“Wannabe pop culture fanatic. Zombie advocate. Entrepreneur. Internet evangelist. Alcohol fanatic. Typical travel buff.”
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