Quirky ministries: when gov'ts get creative

World
Europe

The United Kingdom on Wednesday announced it had appointed a new minister for loneliness to tackle a problem experienced by many elderly people and others who have lost loved ones. The job will be handled by Sports Minister Tracey Crouch.

This may be a quirky title but the UK is not the first country to come up with such an offbeat position.

Here are a few others.

UAE

Last year, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) appointed a new cabinet that had more than one unusual position in it.

People participate in the Dubai Fitness Challenge on November 18, 2017 in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates. /VCG Photo

Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan was named Minister of Tolerance, with Ohood bint Khalfan Al Roumi as Minister of State for Happiness and Wellbeing.

"We need to study, teach, and practice tolerance and to instill it in our children, both through education and our own example," the UAE’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum explained in a commentary on the government’s website.

Conflicts in the region have shown that "sectarian, ideological, cultural and religious bigotry only fuel the fires of rage. We cannot and will not allow this in our country," he added.

The UAE ranked 21st in the 2017 World Happiness Report – above countries like Thailand, France and Spain – but this was clearly not enough for the Gulf nation.

People attend the Dubai Fitness Challenge at Burj Park on November 10, 2017 in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates. /VCG Photo

Paying attention to people’s happiness made sense from an economic point of view, Sheikh Mohammed wrote: "Studies have shown that happy people produce more, live longer, and drive better economic development in their communities and countries."

The minister of happiness’s task was to guide and follow up with all government institutions” to achieve that goal.

More tangible but no less unusual: the new UAE cabinet also has a Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence.

India

The home of yoga and meditation, it is perhaps unsurprising that India has a Minister of State for Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy.

Shripad Naik, India's minister in charge of the department of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (AYUSH), greets the media in New Delhi, India, November 11, 2014. /VCG Photo

Shripad Yesso Naik has called for yoga to be on the school syllabus and argued at a public function on Saturday that it can help cure "stress-related problems and provide a healthy and energetic life," according to local media reports.

Venezuela

In 2013, Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro created a Vice Ministry of Supreme Social Happiness. Its task was to coordinate poverty alleviation programs. But with Venezuela suffering massive inflation and chronic shortages of food, medicine and other basic goods, the move was widely mocked on social media.

Denmark

Scandinavian countries are known for putting an emphasis on social security and Denmark may be a prime example of that, with separate ministers for the elderly; for children and social security; and for immigration and integration. There is also a minister for churches.

Good life, leisure and Jerusalem

In the 1980s, France floated the idea of a Minister of Free Time to encourage leisure activities and better time management. The idea was short-lived but resurfaces regularly, including during last year’s presidential election.

Children play rugby near the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, on June 6, 2007. /VCG Photo

In a rare case of a city having its own department, Israel’s environmental protection minister, Ze'ev Elkin, is also Minister of Jerusalem Affairs.

Pakistan meanwhile has a Ministry of Defense Production – separate from the Defense Ministry - just to oversee armament building, while Ecuador has had a State Secretary for the Presidential Initiative for the Construction of a Society of Good Life, Freddy Ehlers, since 2013.

By any other name…

In some cases, new governments seek to spruce up a dusty old title – like foreign minister or economy minister – by adding new functions to the post or just renaming the job.

Malaysia has a minister not just in charge of housing but of "urban wellbeing."

Fans of the British comedy group Monty Python show off their skills during the International Silly Walk Day on January 7, 2015 in Brno, Czech Republic. /VCG Photo

Environment ministries the world over are now being expanded into ministries for environment and climate change. France has gone even farther, dubbing its own Ministry for Ecological and Inclusive Transition.

Austria renamed its foreign ministry in 2014 as Ministry for Europe, Integration and Foreign Affairs.

Not a ministry at all

And then there are the ministries that have nothing whatsoever to do with government, from mattress shops called Ministry of Sleep to restaurants dubbed Ministry of Food. Not to mention London’s famed Ministry of Sound nightclub and Monty Python’s comedic Ministry of Silly Walks.