Commissioner of the Treasury
The office of Commissioner of the Treasury is a commission assigned directly by the Grand Duke for the purpose of designing and carrying out the printing and distribution of Westarctican paper currency in the form of the nation's ice marks.
Authority of the office
The Central Bank of Westarctica is the financial institution which bears the responsibility for the legal tender status of all money issued by Westarctica. It was traditionally managed by the Minister of the Treasury. However, when the nation stopped minting metal coins in 2013, and as Westarctica had no "finances" per se, there was no longer a need for a Treasury department and the rights and duties of this department returned to the Grand Duke. The role has partial oversight by the Ministry of Commerce.
The 2012 Charter of Westarctica specifically authorizes the Grand Duke to appoint Commissioners who are responsible for heading organizations in the government that are below the level of a Ministry and that report directly to the Crown, not to the Prime Minister.
Current Commissioner
On 28 September 2018, the Baron of Bastanchury was appointed Commissioner of the Treasury to give him the authority to manage the design and production of Westarctica's first official paper currency, the 20 ice mark note. It is anticipated His Lordship will remain in the office as long as the notes continue to be printed, or until the Ministry of the Treasury is re-instituted.