Kalistani Major History

[Doc]

President Simpson Announces National Modernization Initiative
Aims at reorganizing Kalistani Regular Forces and National Industries
Eshar, Odufaray Region
September 8, 4072


President Simpson tours a field near Eshar which will be converted to Industrial Hemp production later this year

The President of the Republic Forrest Simpson visited Eshar this week to announce a series of initiatives that he will ask the Assembly to consider.  Called his "National Modernization Initiative", President Simpson laid out a three point plan for modernization of Kalistan's military and national infrastructure.  Below are the President's brief comments:

"I have sent to the Speaker of the SP, a number of draft bills that I would like the Government to work on this term.  These, all taken together, are known as the National Modernization Initiative.  This initiative is a comprehensive effort at updating our nation's resources for a new generation.  In this initiative, I have asked the Speaker to move bills which modernize the Nation's Armed forces, both at land and at sea to take advantage of updated technology, which will make our fighting forces more effective in their primary role as Home Defense.  We will employ cyb...  excuse me...  cyber technology to give us an edge usually only enjoyed by the major powers.  We will focus primarily on development of our rotory wing assets, which provide critical close air support for troops on the ground, and will put money behind building a new class of destroyer to patrol our waterways.  In addition, the old LAFA vessels will be replaced by newer fast attack craft which will guarantee us flexibility on the high seas.  All told, the aim is at saving costs.  I intend for this modernization to allow the Finance Minister to trim the Defense Budget by 5%, even after the updates are made, just in increased efficiency.

"The National Standing Force will not be the only thing we are working to bring up to date.  I would like the Speaker to push hard on divestment of the National Ferry Company which travels between Ananto and the Mainland.  My Party's leadership pushed this bill to create a redundancy in the market, with the aim of putting the private operators out of business.  At the time, the National Ferry Company made sense, but I think this money would be used more intelligently by expansion of air links between Ananto and the Mainland, and this is where I would like my Party to focus their efforts.  The National Ferry Company has outlived its usefulness, and should be divested immediately.  Sales of the publicly held portions of the stock should fund expansion of airports on the mainland, and the construction of new air links within Ananto, so that the modernization effort will remain revenue neutral.  Once the Company is divested, we will see a return of several million rubles to the General Fund every year.

"Finally, I would like to see a bill increasing public investment in infrastructure and strategic mineral production.  We can work out the details of this, but updating the infrastructure of Kalistan has been a stated goal of our Administration, and now I hope the Government will move forward on this.  I especially want to see open and unused spaces like this, sat on for decades by absentee landlords, brought under cultivation.  Give our new support for industrialized hemp production under regulation, I would like the Government to provide subsidies for farmers who would like to switch their crops from relatively unprofitable crops to crops that there is a guaranteed market for, things such as hemp.  We understand it is expensive to retool, both in ag and in Industry, and the Republic of Kalistan is in a position to help, should private producers want to make the shift.  This will not involve any new nationalization:  The goal is to put some money behind private production, so that the people of Kalistan benefit.

"I look forward to legislation supporting this initiative within the next six months, so it can be voted on before my term is over in a year and a half."

This has been Simpson's longest public speech to date.  He took questions after the speech.