Lodamun

[imperialpearl]

Although it had been the first formal meeting between State and Territorial Governors and the President and members of his cabinet in decades, it could potentially go down as one of the most impactful yet. President William Stedman, at a joint press conference speaking alongside the Governors of Newchester, Barrington, Berkwaki, St. Christopher, Millford, and the Native Territories, revealed that the federal government had earmarked some 306.5 billion LOD for infrastructure and economic development projects throughout the states and territories. The announcement, which had come at the latter end of the conference, had reportedly been a topic of serious discussion between the President and Governors as the latter voiced their frustrations at the supposed ‘drought’ in federal funding availability under the previous (Menkyn) Administration. For the better part of the past decade, federal agencies which were once extremely active in their collaborations with state and local authorities, particularly on matters related to funding economic development projects, such as the Federal Industrial Finance Corporation (FIFC), the Federal Green Finance Corporation (FGFC) and the Office of Community Business Affairs (OCBA), had ultimately reduced their activity throughout the country. Persons intimately connected to the situation noted that the agencies had been ordered to freeze all activity amidst concerns related to internal auditing. Since the election, general directives have been sent to agencies to continue any work that had been stalled as a result of the activity freeze. President Stedman stated that economic development, particularly on the local and state level, was principal to his broader economic strategy as he noted, “This government is dedicated to ensuring our states and territories possess some of the strongest and most resilient economies in the world.”

Secretary of Commerce and Industry Anthony Harrell, who was present during the conference, stated that the question of transportation ‘bottlenecks’ had been raised by the Governors as they noted that interstate trade, when compared to similar trends in other territories, decreased by 35%. Governor of Millford Mark Cameron noted that much of the blame for the collapse of interstate trade could be placed squarely at the feet of the federal government’s handling of the privatisation of the Lodamese Rail Corporation and the liberalisation of the Lodamese railway industry. Additionally, the otherwise haphazard nature of the Federal Highway System’s construction has led many to question whether previous DPL governments truly had a national vision for seamless interstate travel, commerce and trade in mind. “I think what we need with respect to interstate trade is a comprehensive national rethink of transportation infrastructure. I think we need to go back to the drawing board, bringing the Civil Projects Administration on board, of course and reassess national transportation priorities. We need to focus on things like highways that make sense and a railway network that is not so heavily dependent on the Trans-Seleyan Railroad. We need connections to cities and hubs that make sense,” Governor Cameron lamented. 

Secretary of Infrastructure and Transport Henry Bishop confirmed that the administration’s spending programme had indeed factored in additional funding for both a reassessment of the Federal Highway System alongside a study into the feasibility of rapid rail in Lodamun. He also confirmed that an investigative committee had been formed to report on the various challenges facing the rail freight companies, stating that the Federal Railroad Commission is likely to make a decision on whether the privatisation of Lodamese rail freight transport was indeed successful. “I think once we’ve conducted the assessment, we can determine whether indeed it would be time for us to reverse that decision and bring rail freight transport under the remit of the federal government,” Secretary Bishop explained. The Governors also spoke to the details of their respective economic development initiatives, as discussed with President Stedman and members of his cabinet. Governor of Newchester, Victoria Hatfield, said that the state was primarily seeking federal assistance in getting its once world-renowned science and technology ecosystem ‘back on the map’. She noted that decades of funding freezes and a lack of attention from the federal government, particularly the Department of Science and Technology, had virtually left the state to fend for itself. And whilst it has faired well, Governor Hatfield notes that there was extreme potential for the state’s economy to do even more, albeit with assistance from the federal government. 

Secretary of Science and Technology Dr. Robert Holden stated that a future meeting with the respective ‘research, innovation and technology’ czars of the states and territories would likely result in the formal signing of the Intra-State Convention on Scientific Research. The Intra-State Convention on Scientific Research (ISCSR) relates to a draft agreement between the federal government (inclusive of all federal research entities) and the states and territories, where the federal government commits to spend some 500 billion LOD in ‘very long-term’ research & development funding for public research initiatives. The agreement’s drafting came in direct response to what was then perceived as a critical ‘science gap’ between Lodamun and other territories. In Barrington, the state’s efforts to establish itself as a major agricultural producer continued, even in the absence of federal assistance. Governor Jim Coleman stated that the Agricultural Credit and Insurance Corporation (ACIC) and the Department of Agriculture had to step up, as it was illogical to assume that the state would be able to do much of what it wants to do alone. “ACIC and the Department of Agriculture need to step up. We’ve certainly made it this far without federal support, but there does come a time when we do need that support. This is that time,” Governor Coleman explained. He noted that the state wanted to continue its partnership with Barrington State University and the Nutritional Resources Administration with respect to research into drought-resistant crops, and potentially working on a new breed of dairy cow.

Secretary Harrell noted that the states and territories had been encouraged to establish independent planning authorities, which would provide much-needed structure to their long-term ambitions. Pointing to the federal government’s previously industrial strategies, Harrell stated that such planning was virtually absent on the state and local level, noting that most authorities preferred a more reactive economic agenda. Chairman of the President’s Economic Advisory Committee, Dr. Katelyn Caldwell, stated that there had to be a dismystification of economic planning as she noted that much of the apprehension held against it by the public relates to supposed fears of communism. “When people hear economic planning, they often think of state planning, a central tenet of communist ideology. What we are advising is not that the government dictate every facet of economic activity, but instead they recognise the worth of long-term ideas and indicative planning.” Dr Caldwell explained. The Governors were generally receptive of the idea, with Governor of the Native Territories, Natane Durham noting that the NT were already ahead of most on the matter, having possessed a Department of Economic Development which leads much of the territory’s 10-year plans and provides technical assistance (alongside the Sovereign University of the Native Territories) to the tribes themselves.