An eccentric owner has recently passed away, and he left a private island off the Florida Coast to me. The atoll is adequately outsized for the development of small communities. As such, I must introduce a local administration, a legal system, as well as a scheme of enforcing the law. While there are numerous forms of government, legal, and law enforcement systems, I must establish the best of each to suit the island considering that dictatorship is not an option.
A city government would be best suited for this situation. The reason is that a city government would be able to adapt to local needs in addition to reacting exceedingly fast to local issues of the island (In Sadioglu & In Dede, 2016). Accordingly, the leaders in a city government would have an understanding of the local area and can fashion policies to that area. Moreover, the city government is like a small national government, and thus, the island would be governed similarly to a vast country with numerous cities (In Sadioglu & In Dede, 2016). In that regard, running the island as a city would be increasingly efficient in running services because the local authorities play a significant role in coordination by bringing together voluntary organizations, the private sector, in addition to other public entities to ensure that things run well.
The form of government would be a municipal charter represented by a council. In it public capacity, the municipality will exercise its right emerging from sovereignty, and while in its performance of associated duties, its acts will be political as well as governmental (In Sadioglu & In Dede, 2016). In its private capacity, it will exercise a private, corporate, or proprietary right, emerging from its existence as a legal entity and not a public entity. The officers alongside agents in the performance of such operations will act on behalf of the municipality in their individual or corporate capacity. Besides, it will have the power to develop as well as maintain parks besides putting up public constructions. Additionally, it is the vehicle via which residents express their ideas alongside concerns in an attempt to create domestic opportunities or establish solutions to the problems of the community. As such, the municipality would avail administration, emergency, land use, measures, garbage collection, policing, and roads to residents (In Sadioglu & In Dede, 2016). Besides, it will have the power to minister to the comfort alongside health of the citizens and may instruct, educate, amuse, and please its inhabitants.
Accordingly, the council would be elected by the residents, and it would ascertain that their needs, as well as interests, are met. Ideally, appointing leaders will seem more dictatorial than democratic. The importance of choosing leaders is apparent. First, it will give the inhabitants a sense of democracy as they can contribute to the political process (In Sadioglu & In Dede, 2016). Secondly, it will provide them with an opinion on the issues of the city and thirdly, they will be able to elect leaders they think will represent their interests appropriately. In other words, the city will be democratic in its affairs for better development (In Sadioglu & In Dede, 2016).
On another note, since the city will constitute of smaller communities, it will utilize the local police and deputy sheriffs to enforce the law. The local police will derive their authority from the city government (In Reilly, 2017). Their primary purpose will be upholding the laws stipulated by the government, provide patrol, in addition to investigating crimes. Deputy Sheriffs, on the other hand, will derive their authority from the city government to enforce laws at the community level. They will also have the duty of serving warrants as well as court sermons, in addition to responding to calls for service in places outside local police jurisdiction (In Reilly, 2017).
Further, the city will have a code law kind of judicial system. Apparently, the reason for choosing this kind of system is because it is grounded on a comprehensive scheme of written regulations (rules) of law (In Reilly, 2017). As aforementioned, the city will be managed by a council that will be tasked with fashioning laws of the city. As such, under the code law, the legal system will be alienated into three separate systems including criminal, commercial, and civil laws (In Reilly, 2017). These regulations will specify what composes legal behavior.
What is more, offenders will be rehabilitated in in-prison rehabilitation programs. The system will be most appropriate because it offers some programs that will be designed to assist inmates quickly adjust to situations outside prison once they are set free. As such, they will be assisted in acquiring job skills, learn ways of dealing with common difficulties, and overcome problems of substance abuse (In Reilly, 2017). Rehabilitating offenders while in prison rather than when they are released will be cost effective for the city. Additionally, they can learn skills while serving their time and this will be advantageous to the economic development of the city (In Reilly, 2017).
Decisively, running the island as a city will be most advantageous because a city government would adapt fast to the needs of the locals. The city would be in the form of a municipality run by elected councilors who will represent the residents in the government. For effective security, the city will be policed by the local police and deputy sheriffs and a code law will be utilized as a judicial system. People found guilty will be rehabilitated in in-prison rehabilitation programs.
We can do it today.
- In Reilly, . (2017). The governance of local communities: Global perspectives and challenges.
- In Sadioglu, U., & In Dede, K. (2016). Comparative studies and regionally-focused cases examining local governments.