Vorona

[Zanz]

http://forum.particracy.net/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=4354

[imperialpearl]

Trouble in Paradise: Crime and Poverty in Vorona 

Although sun, sea and sand have become hallmarks of the Voronan tropical experience, the ever-growing intensification of crime and criminality within the nation threatens to upend decades of peace as residents of one of the nation's largest slums choose between violence and government neglect. 

8th December, 5638 | By Andrew McDonald

Officers of the Vorona Constabulary Force during a raid in the Western Quarter of the Piersonville Suburb

Although the slums have been the source of many, if not most of the more violent crimes in Vorona, notwithstanding those currently taking place in Western and Eastern Vorona, here the residents say that it is the gangs which call these communities and neighbourhoods their bases of operations, who have been providing them with the protection they have cried out for decades. The slums of Shoreside have recently become the newest hotbed of crime and gang activity, all due in part to the recent death of the infamous gang leader Akeem “Bigs” Simon. Simon, the leader of “4th Avenue”, had governed as the titular leader of the entire slum, acting in many cases as its mayor. The collapse of basic government services, primarily water and electricity and the chaos which ensued, led many to turn to Simon in order to maintain some semblance of normalcy. “The little children would surround him shouting 'Papa, Papa, Papa' because, for many of them, he was their provider,” one resident speaking from anonymity said. Simon was killed last month by the Voronan Constabulary Force (VCF) during a raid on his compound, which resulted in the deaths of several members of his gang and some officers of the VCF. According to some crime analysts, Simon had been seen as a stabilising figure, keeping many of the minor street gangs throughout the slum under control. Since his death, there has been a marked increase in shootings, kidnappings and other associated crimes as numerous gangs vie for control of the slum and its 6,000+ residents, over the now-fractured 4th Avenue gang. “I guess you could say that there is a benefit to this? Every neighbourhood has its own “community leader” now, so there’s still someone people can express their grievances to,” one shopkeeper noted. “Someone broke into my shop just this Wednesday and I went to the community leader and they found the person who did it. I guess they punished him because I got my stolen merchandise back that same day.” One resident noted that the gangs were becoming so brazen that they seemingly no longer feared the police. “It used to be that when the Police show up you’d see them [gang members] scatter into the tracks and side streets. But since they killed Bigs, everything is in the air. When the police show up, they [gang members] immediately open fire without a second thought.”

The collapse of basic government services in the slums has exacerbated what has already been a stressful situation. Simon’s rise to power had been marked by a major increase in violence, particularly that involving high-powered rifles. Following numerous skirmishes between 4th Avenue gang and the community police, the caretaker government swapped community police patrols with those of the regular police alongside imposing a quasi-quarantine of the entire slum. With most services being blocked from entering the slum, many turned to the gangs whom they said provided “structure” when the government “abandoned them”. The change in sentiment is evident. “We didn’t even have water to cook with, let alone wash our clothes,” another resident, speaking on a condition of anonymity, said. “Those rat bastards turned off the water supply and told the gas [LPG] trucks to stop coming here. When Bigs showed up with water trucks and when they [4th Avenue] took over the LPG warehouse, what did they expect? For us to turn down an opportunity to lift ourselves up from state-sanctioned sufferation? Ay boy, F-ck that and F-ck them.” Notwithstanding the fact that the slum has fractured into warring streets and neighbourhoods, the gangs seemingly still agree to cooperate (to some extent) on the provision of basic necessities. “Since they killed Bigs, we haven’t seen any interruptions, the water trucks still come and fill our tanks, there’s always LPG. I guess they can agree on one thing,” another resident said jadedly. Available data points to the fact that many of the gangs, including 4th Avenue are largely populated by young men between the ages of 11 to 35, and whilst an accurate account is not available, civil police estimates place the total number of gang members within the slum at around 900. “It’s like they have their own little army in there,” Stanley Moses, a councillor on the local district council, lamented. “These little skinny boys, who should be in school, taking up guns larger and heavier than themselves, running around the slum singing the praises of their respective community/gang leader and what they’ve done for their neighbourhood.”

A member of the 4th Avenue Gang poses for a picture

With the community police out, and the VCF in, it was initially believed that their presence would be a reminder of the power of the state. Yet, since their introduction to formal police patrols, extrajudicial killings have been on the rise. Recently, minor protests were sparked throughout the slum after three VCF officers, whilst executing a warrant on Dale “Zoomie” Joseph, a known drug dealer within the slum, killed not only Joseph but also four other men in a scene which residents have called an execution. “They had no intention of going in there and arresting Zoomie. We could tell that was their intention from the moment they arrived,” an eyewitness said. “They came out of their unmarked car, and without as much as a word identifying themselves as Police, they immediately went into where Zoomie and his crew usually hang out.” Another resident, who asked to remain anonymous out of fear of reprisal, said: “We just heard shots and then we saw Handle [Martin Browne] run out into the street and down the road, but they [the VCF] were right behind him. He got some distance from them before they shot him in the back and just left. He bled out right there.” The protestors have demanded that the VCF officers, who were wearing balaclavas throughout the entire encounter, be brought to justice. Martin Browne’s mother who remains distraught at her son’s death, is noted as having told Browne to avoid his continued association with Joseph. “I told him not to hang around there, but he never listens to me. Now my only child is gone. I have no one left,” Ms Browne wept. “We are being brutalised here, so it's no wonder why more and more young men continue to run into the arms of these gangs?” social activist Clyde Lewis questioned. “The heavy-handedness with which they treat us, the law-abiding citizens, is appalling. They think that we’re all just like them [the gang members].” One incident in particular has come under scrutiny recently after it was revealed that an officer of the VCF gun-butted a senior citizen who “spoke back” to him. The resultant blow reportedly caused a traumatic brain injury after the man fell to the ground, where he subsequently died. “They treat us like animals here, and we don’t even live at the heart of the slum where the real crime is; these are just the outskirts,” Lewis added.

According to Lewis, the Constitutional Convention provides the nation with the opportunity to “get certain things right.” She noted that she has already made petitions for the Elections Commission to host a brief town hall meeting where members of the community can voice their concerns not only about the crime situation, which continued to plague the slum, but also about police brutality and the existence of the slums in their entirety. “I’ve seen the proposals. Much of it talks about the establishment of autonomous regions which would be granted powers to address local concerns, but I think that the situation in the slum, and other slums around the country, transcends local authorities and deserves national attention and a national solution,” Lewis remarked. “Formally transferring district Police to these new 'autonomous' structures does not address the challenges we face. I genuinely believe that it will make no material difference beyond granting the Premier his/her own private army of goons.” Some have stated that the Constitutional Convention should enshrine certain guarantees for a reasonable standard of living. “What those people need are opportunities,” Dr. Ann-Marie Richardson, a Professor of Sociology and Urban Culture, explained. “A lack of opportunity leads to destitution, which ultimately forces people to turn to crime as a means of survival. The more police we throw at the problem, the more likely they are to respond with higher firepower, and then the police will have to respond in turn. It therefore becomes a cycle. We have to ask ourselves at what point do we say: enough?”

[Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSTZf1yRmvU]

[imperialpearl]

An end to Democracy in Vorona

With the nation reeling from the corruption scandal which brought down both the ruling Government and the Opposition, President Netherwood suspends parliament and appoints a "Council of Government" to rule Vorona until the nation's historic woes have been addressed. 

22nd March 5641| By Nicholas Solomon

President Eugene Netherwood officiating over the formal suspension of the Voronan Federal Parliament

In the immediate aftermath of the resignation of the government led by the former Chief Minister, as a result of the recommendations of the Gordon Committee which pointed to a broader lack of confidence in the Voronan political system among the vast majority of the nation’s citizens, President Ewan Netherwood, in an extremely unprecedented move, had formally suspended the national parliament indefinitely, ending centuries of democratic rule in Vorona. In a statement read from the Speaker’s chair in the parliament, President Netherwood cited the nation’s internal political and economic uncertainty as justification for his “extraordinary intervention”, as he argued that the resignation of the previous Samuel Bissoon-led government, broad disillusionment by the general public as to the ability of the nation’s elected officials to resolve the decades long malaise and the potential for broader uncertainty within Voronan society, necessitated “decisive action.” In its simplest form, the Voronan constitution borrows numerous articles from the Luthorian, Hutorian and Kalistani constitutions in that it provides for the head of state to exercise extraordinary powers during periods of uncertainty or national emergencies. Although by convention, such powers have been traditionally exercised within the confines of parliamentary consensus, the constitution nonetheless provides for the President to not only dissolve parliament but to suspend “responsible democratic government” within the nation until a period wherein it is reasonable that democratic procedures may resume. “We must recognise that this is but a necessary step towards resetting the internal psyche of the nation. We must use this as an opportunity to clean up our act and to demonstrate to the world that we [Vorona] are capable of governing ourselves. It is time that we review all aspects of our society,” President Netherwood’s statement read.

What has separated President Netherwood’s intervention from similar moves throughout history is the fact that the decision enjoys both the support of the broader public and the parliament as a whole. Before formally suspending parliamentary proceedings, all 60 representatives of the national parliament (including members of the House of Representatives and the Senate) voted to prompt Netherwood’s response. The collapse of the previous government had left the national parliament is disarray as the wider Voronan body politik voiced their indifference to the government’s collapse alongside the idea of fresh elections. “It is the view of the public that we [the parliament] have failed them. Decades, if not centuries, of malaise have culminated in their rejection of the current system. It is therefore only right that we act in their interests, perhaps for the final time, and suspend democratic proceedings such that we can ‘reset’ society,” Anil Hernandez, leader of now defunct Voronan People’s Party, proclaimed in his final speech prior to the suspension of parliament. Many have resisted the temptation to brand President Netherwood’s decision as the “opening of a dictatorship” as the decision had been long advocated for by the general public and has been met with similarly high praise. Canvasing the opinions of some citizens who held a brief demonstration at the National Assembly building in Port Bradford, many stated that if the suspension of democratic proceedings would translate into the economic and social upheaval which has plagued the nation for the better half of a century to finally be placed at the front burner, then it was a step they would wholeheartedly support. “Time an’ time again, we callin’ on de same parties who say dey lookin’ out for we, to fix de economic an’ social problems dat hauntin’ dis country for donkey years. But wha’ goin’ on? Is de same ole corruption an’ mismanagement every time! If dis is wha’ it takin’ to get tings done, well… so be it!” one citizen remarked.

The suspension of parliament and the formal resignation of the government/cabinet would mean that Vorona would exist in a sort of stasis, as there is unlikely to be any formal elections. In the same statement read in the National Assembly, President Netherwood stated that going forward, Vorona would likely be governed by an “Executive Council”, through which he shall act as its Chief Executive. Much of the day-to-day business of the Executive Council, however, shall be governed by a Chief Secretary appointed by the President. With domestic politics “paused”, some have speculated on the composition of the supposed Executive Council. Given that the suspension of democratic proceedings came as a result of the nation’s precarious situation, it is expected that such a council would likely be results-oriented, with a specific focus on solving the issues at hand. This has led many to believe that the Executive Council may take on the form of a technocracy. “I think we’re transitioning to a brief period of ‘post-politics’, where the idea that long-term goals are to be limited by short-term electoral timelines is ultimately abandoned and when we embrace the idea of long-term planning.” Stefan Modeste, a news columnist and political commentator, explained. Speculation is currently swirling within the public as to who the supposed Chief Secretary of this Executive Council may be. Some have proposed veteran banker Selwyn Browne, administrator Errol Prisban or experienced lawyer Kirk Ragbir SC. The forerunner and the most likely choice, Errol Prisban, previously served as City Manager of Port Bradford and the President of the Treasury Board of Vorona.

[imperialpearl]

Prisban appointed to lead CoG
Former President of the Treasury Board of Vorona, Errol Prisban has been selected by President Netherwood to

govern over Vorona's internal and external affairs as new Chief Secretary of the non-partisan Council of Government. 

4th November 5641 | By William Callender

Newly appointed Chief Secretary of the Council of Government, Mr Errol Prisban

Ending days of speculation surrounding the composition of the supposed Council of Government, the non-elected body which will be responsible for the general management of Vorona's internal and external affairs for the foreseeable future, the Chief Secretary of the Council has been identified in Errol Prisban. Prisban, a career administrator and former President of the Treasury Board, accepted President Netherwood’s invitation to establish the Council of Government and thus transition Vorona towards “a new era of social and economic development.” Mr. Prisban met with President Netherwood at Federation House earlier this morning, where the two men engaged in a lengthy discussion on the concept of the Council of Government and the recommendations of the Gordon Commission. During an impromptu press conference on the stairs of Federation House, Prisban stated that the CoG had come at a time of great uncertainty within the nation and had inherited much of the issues which crippled the previous government and ultimately created the impetus for its formation. There had been considerable speculation surrounding Mr. Prisban’s appointment as head of the CoG. With the Voronan population having registered their frustration with the nation’s partisan politics, a political appointee had been an unlikely choice, recognising that, notwithstanding the automatic support such an appointee might enjoy from the now-lame-duck legislature, they must also capture the confidence of the broader public. “People have become tired of the paralysis of partisan politics. The schisms and endless corruption scandals not only paved the way for the CoG but also made it nearly impossible for a “politician” to be accepted at the head of this new body. It was out of this consideration that President Netherwood had gone to extreme lengths to advance a purely technocratic structure, comprised of experts and experienced administrators. Prisban, the former President of the Treasury Board, had been seen as an early choice for some, granted that he had demonstrated his acumen for public administration in guiding the nation’s public finances through numerous internal and external shocks.

When asked whether he intended to honour and implement the Gordon Commission's recommendations, Prisban stated that the CoG would be wholly committed to the report's recommendations and would likely conclude once most, if not all, of them had been implemented/operationalised. “I think it is important to recognise that the CoG was created to implement the report’s recommendations in full and to be devoid of the politics which make many of the circumstances/conditions referenced within the report possible,” Prisban answered. The Gordon Commission, in surveying the various social, economic and political issues within Vorona, stands as an assessment of the nation’s post-independence performance. Also present was Roland Sinanan, S.C., who had been appointed as the council’s chief legal advisor and Vorona’s Attorney-General. According to Sinanan, although various sections of the Voronan constitution had been virtually suspended, it remained the nation’s highest legal framework and thus the judiciary remained largely untouched by the CoG’s formation. “What I can speak to now, notwithstanding future reforms, is that the judiciary has maintained much of its autonomy. Although some sections of the constitution, particularly with respect to judicial review, have been suspended, the courts will continue to hear cases related to criminal and civil matters.”

Prisban noted that beyond the Gordon Commission’s recommendations and constitutional reform, a general retooling of Vorona’s economic model was needed. He noted that in his time as President of the Treasury Board, he had witnessed firsthand the inefficiencies of fiscal practices which stunted national economic development, both nationally and provincially. He noted that in sporadic conversations with numerous economists and financial experts, the nature of Vorona’s “monocrop” economy became a recurring talking point. This monocrop economics refers to the fact that, given the general decay of Vorona’s former industrial capacity, the nation primarily relies on the cultivation, refining and export of a singular profitable agricultural crop: sugarcane. Prisban, an economic historian himself, offered a brief thesis of the economics of sugar in Vorona, drawing from his seminal work “Profit and Exploitation: An Inquiry into the Nature and Consequences of the Exploitation of Nations”. He argued that the development of the sugarcane industry in Vorona and other colonial territories was not a mere venture of the colonial administration but the foundation of capitalism in the colonial empires of old. “The plantocracy and the accompanying plantation economy, categorised by the exploitation of enslaved labour, provided the colonial powers of Artania and Dovani with the seed capital needed to fuel their industrial growth,” the book reads. Prisban noted that although the book had been authored when he was much younger and that in ageing he had lost much of his youthful fervor for direct revolution, much of its musing are still relevant as he pointed to the book's conclusion which pointed to the need for former colonial states to industrialise in order to shed themnselves of the monocrop economics imposed on them by the former colonial class. He noted that although the CoG would not be guided by his musings, it was nonetheless important for the nation’s economic circumstances to be brought into context. “In building a new economic model for Vorona, we must envision a government that positions itself within the national economy to accrue direct benefits to the people. In order to get there, we must appreciate where we have come from,” Prisban explained. Prisban is expected to create an Economic Advisory Committee, populated by experienced technocrats and business leaders of varying ideologies who will provide the CoG with advice beyond the Gordon Commission recommendations and the CoG’s internal plan.

[imperialpearl]

A University for Vorona
University of South Western Vorona and the Anderson Institute merge to form the University of Vorona as the 

Council of Government pushes for greater investment in Voronan education

8th March 5645 | By Michael Frederick

For Vorona, independence had coincided with growing ambitions for the establishment of an institution of higher learning which, by its very nature, would have been hyper-focused on the development of technical skills among Voronan students, particularly in areas of science and engineering. It was believed that, owing to its highly technical/specialised nature, the economy of the future as envisioned by the nation’s founding father at the time of independence, would require a steady stream of highly educated individuals, all imbued with the skills necessary to not only keep the economy moving but to push it to new heights in terms of innovation and productivity. It had been theorised that such an institution would be formed by the government, as it was surmised that its importance to national development could not have been overstated. Yet, this ambition ultimately became a fleeting dream when the University of South-Western Dovani (USWD) was formed and much of the government’s focus concerning skills development in Vorona shifted from polytechnical skills to liberal arts, humanities and the social sciences. Although the importance of the University of South-Western Dovani to national development ought not to be discredited, as compared to this once-held ambition the university hosts numerous programmes in science and engineering, its broad net does not allow for pinpoint focus on technical progress as much of the science and engineering within the university is primarily constrained to a particular faculty. 

Some scholars have noted that as the world becomes increasingly competitive, it is important that Vorona follow in the footsteps of other nations and support the development/incubation of a polytechnical attitude/acumen among Voronans. “This should not be the only reason why we need a polytechnical institute in Vorona,” Dr Eason Padmore, a former Provost at the University of South-Western Dovani, lamented. “The world is advancing at an ever-accelerating pace. Nations are stepping up their investment in technology and scientific research because they recognise that they have to etch out their roles in these spaces. From advanced rocketry to artificial intelligence/machine learning, the future holds many opportunities, especially in those related to technology and engineering. It is my honest belief that we should not let these opportunities pass by but should instead jump onto the train with a great vigour/yearning for higher quality skills and education in our nation.”

As negotiations between the University of South-Western Dovani and the Anderson Institute enter a new phase, Secretary for Education Dr. Marissa Ramsumair has revealed that both universities have agreed to merge into a new university: the University of Vorona. Both the University of South-Western Dovani and the Anderson Institute were encouraged by the CoG to hammer out an agreement on whether their shared situation could be turned into a potential “win” for tertiary education in Vorona. Both universities, as a result of serious financial struggles, were almost on the brink of bankruptcy before the Department of Education’s intervention. In the case of USWD, enrollment numbers plunged as a result of a decision to increase tuition fees in response to below-average financial performance. The Anderson Institute was almost brought to bankruptcy as a result of failed growth decisions. 

The Morant Bay-based university had spent significant funds on the construction of new facilities; however, owing to a mounting debt issue related to pre-existing expenses, the university was forced to suspend operations. Dr Ramsumair stated that with both universities having the answer to each other’s problems, it was only natural that they be encouraged to come to an agreement on a potential merger. The Department of Education had reportedly communicated to both parties that should an agreement on a merger come to pass between both entities, an 800 million VRD grant would be endowed to the new, merged entity as “starting capital” to aid the universities in not only meeting existing expenses but also placing new money into potential investment opportunities. At a press conference held at the Anderson Institute, the Rector of USWD, Dr. Tyaishia Smith, confirmed that the merger would indeed go through, with final approval from the Department of Education having been granted. Dr Smith also confirmed that both entities had taken up on the Department’s pledge to provide the merged entity, University of Vorona with a 2-3 billion VRD endowment. “This is indeed a pivotal moment for tertiary education in Vorona,” Dr Smith explained.

Both the Rectors of USWD and the Anderson Institute will become Vice-Chancellors of the University of Vorona. As a result of the merger, the University of Vorona will become the nation’s singular university. The Vorona Accreditation Council has noted that despite the merger, degrees, diplomas and certificates awarded prior to the date of the merger will be recognised by the council and other accreditation bodies internationally under the name of the UoV. Owing to the nature of the grant, the Voronan Government, through the Department of Education, will maintain a sizeable non-voting stake in the University. The faculties set to be part of this new university include the Faculty of Engineering, the Faculty of Medical Sciences, the Faculty of Architecture and Design, the Faculty of Humanities and Education, the Faculty of Social Sciences and Public Policy, the Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences and the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology. 

Chief Secretary Errol Prisban stated that the university represented the nation’s first major investment into diversifying the economy beyond sugar and the minor industries in decades, if not centuries. “Although we are attempting to revive and restructure some aspects of our economy, we recognise that we cannot place all our eggs into one basket. To diversify our economy into new areas, we must first develop a flexible, capable talent pool.” Mr. Prisban explained. Dr Joseph Guerra has been appointed Chancellor of the University of Vorona system as the merger would combine USWD and the Anderson Institute’s campuses throughout the country, including those in Western and Eastern Vorona, with the main campus in Morant Bay. Dr Guerra, the former Permanent Secretary of the Department of the Treasury and Public Finance, has stated that the university intends to keep tuition fees at an “acceptable level” barring any unforeseen circumstances which may warrant an increase in the future. However, on this, he noted that such a decision would be subject to considerable discussion among the university’s leadership, staff, the student body as well as the federal and provincial departments of education.

[imperialpearl]

Prisban meets with Provincial Premiers 

In his first meeting with the Premiers of Western Vorona, Eastern Vorona and the Morant Bay Territory, CoG Chief Secretary Errol Prisban discuss federal investment and restructuring provincial economies 

11th August 5658| By Wendell Andrews

From the Left: Premier of Western Vorona, Deven Bedlow; Premier of Eastern Vorona, Sonia Lutchman; Chief Secretary Errol Prisban; Chief Minister of the Morant Bay Territory, George Chang.

In his first meeting with the Premiers of Western and Eastern Vorona alongside the Chief Minister of the Morant Bay Territory (the capital territory), Chief Secretary of the Council of Government, Errol Prisban stated that an agreement had been reached among the various parties that would see the federal government erect/constitute various structures with the aim of supporting economic development in the provinces. At a press conference held at the Pitleigh Estate, the Western Voronan Cottage of the Voronan Head of Government, Chief Secretary Prisban, stated that the agreement had been primarily informed by the CoG’s internal decision to seek greater alignment with respect to provincial and national priorities. He noted that although the provinces maintain significant authority over various matters, as outlined in the constitution, there was nonetheless an understanding among the premiers that the nation’s current situation required a degree of intervention from the federal government to “settle the foundation”.

In his statement, he noted that historically, the federal government had maintained a laissez-faire approach to the national economy, ultimately surrendering national planning goals to the provinces, which ultimately led to the federal government having to play ‘catch up’ with the provinces as new administrations would attempt to align their priorities with those of the provinces. He explained that the new understanding between the Premiers and the federal government would be such that, although the CoG may advance a largely interventionist agenda marked by the introduction of numerous state-owned enterprises throughout various sectors of the economy, its relationship with the provinces would primarily be that of an enabler/financier. “In our discussions with the premiers, I made sure to stress the point that although we [the CoG] intend to advance an expansionary/interventionist agenda, our relationship with the provinces would be that we act as enablers/financiers with respect to their provincial development goals,” Chief Secretary Prisban explained.

Secretary for Planning and Development Dr. Carl Tang unveiled that the agreement had also given birth to three new structures, namely the Economic Development Agency for Western Vorona (EDA-WV), the Economic Development Agency for Eastern Vorona (EDA-EV) and the Morant Bay Development Authority (MBDA). According to the Secretary, the agencies would be the means through which the federal government becomes involved in the regional development initiatives of the provinces. He explained that the agencies were specifically tasked with financing and providing technical assistance to the provinces on those matters which they believe will benefit not just the provinces but also align with national objectives. “These agencies will act as the arms of the federal government in the provinces and will support those initiatives which demonstrate value to both the provincial and national economy. Whether it’s through co-financing, supporting the creation of regional industrial parks, or technical assistance and capacity building, these agencies will ensure that we can strike that balance between national goals and preserving provincial autonomy,” Dr. Tang explained. 

He added that this forms part of a much broader push by the CoG to encourage the provincial and territorial governments to embrace a culture of long-term planning. He noted that although the suspension of representative politics on the federal level has nonetheless provided the CoG with the perfect conditions through which long-term planning might thrive, granted that representative democracy continues on the provincial/territorial level, it was nonetheless possible for the regions to embrace this new culture of planning albeit within the confides of 5 or 10 year plans. “I think it would be for their benefit that the provinces embrace long-term planning goals/objectives. By doing so, they’d be able to leverage their comparative advantages against other economies regionally and internationally. I think what we’ve seen throughout history is that the provinces have been aiming to dabble in various ventures, and this hasn’t produced many results, as we’ve simply become masters of none. The economy isn’t as diversified as it ought to be, and it is still dependent on rents/royalties from sugar processing.” Dr Tang noted.

Both the Premiers of Western and Eastern Vorona noted that in their discussions with the Chief Secretary and other members of the CoG, it was agreed that the federal government, in the interim, would provide ‘emergency’ funding for key projects which they believe would kickstart a restructuring of the provincial economies. Both had agreed that the development of a unique tourism experience within the two provinces had been discussed with the construction of new beaches and beach-front resorts in the two provinces, having received the green light from the Secretary for Tourism, Culture and the Arts. Premier of Western Vorona, Deven Bedlow, revealed that a temporary state-owned enterprise in the form of the Voronan Tourism Development Corporation would be created to facilitate the construction of beaches, resorts, etc, which will be transferred to the provincial governments once they have been completed. The two provinces have also agreed to sit down with officials from the Department of Tourism, Culture and the Arts on rebranding their tourism image, as Secretary [for Tourism, Culture and the Arts] Simone Walcott noted that tourism in Vorona need not be restricted to “sun, sand and sea”, but has the potential to branch into new areas such as eco-tourism, health tourism, etc.

[imperialpearl]

Cancassay Riots revisted 

In a well-received departure from the traditional pre-Carnival formula, the city of Straughn is treated to a retelling of the pivotal Cancassay rebellion like never before

1st May 5659| By Christian Lee & Veronica Constantine

A performer spitting fire from their mouth during the Cancassay Riot re-enactment performance

"They came barefoot and bare-chested, in torn linen and worn cotton. Dressed in frayed trousers cinched with rope and dresses torn at the hem and stained with earth. In the blazing sun, they marched, chains clinking at their ankles as if the weight of their oppression was dragged with them. Some carried cutlasses, others raised burning sugarcane stalks, and like a wave of anger and vengeance, they surged toward the plantation house."

Although the production and the broader event had been trapped in a near-vicious cycle of financial constraints, the perpetual challenge of balancing historical accuracy with compelling theatre and the question of whether it would be well-received by the general public, Stephan Baptiste, the event’s coordinator/architect, believed that it was nonetheless important that they “push through”. With significant backing from the Voronan Heritage Foundation, Baptiste, alongside a diverse cadre of actors, historians, poets, and interested patrons, was enlisted to actualise the long-envisioned undertaking of recreating the Cancassay Riots as a major centre-piece of Vorona’s carnival tradition. The Cancassay Riots hold significance within Vorona, particularly among the nation’s Kariga-Voronan population, as both the first major slave revolt in the nation’s colonial history and the titular history and the beginning of carnival celebrations. It has been traditionally marked by a series of readings from the final letters of the revolt leaders in the early hours of the morning, at the very hours they were executed for rebelling against the crown. In an interview prior to the re-enactment, Baptiste explained that he had been approached to helm the re-enactment as a means of bringing history to a wider, younger generation of Voronans, who seem to be disconnected from the traditional means through which the riots had been told. “I guess the feeling was that the early morning celebrations had to be ‘modernised’. Although we don’t want to transform our history into a spectacle, we can nonetheless ensure that we honour it in ways that resonate with today. So we lean into visual storytelling; We show what it would have been like to be in the midst of the riot alongside (Porter) Curnow and (Jean) Simon,” Baptiste explained.

The riot, as it came to be known, initially grew out of years of simmering resentment among the enslaved on the Curnow Plantation, fueled by the harsh treatment inflicted by the plantation’s owner, Oscar Curnow, and his son and overseer, Robert Curnow. In the early hours of the morning, a group of enslaved persons, led by Porter Curnow, a predial (house) slave assigned to the plantation’s Great House, revolted. They stormed the main residence, attacking and subsequently beheading Oscar and Robert, but deliberately sparing their Yingdalan deputy overseer, Sam Yeung, whom they regarded with a measure of respect. After seizing weapons and ammunition, the rebel fanned out across the estate to unshackle and rally the plantation’s more than 100 enslaved persons. Led by Porter, they set fire to the cane fields, the Great House and other dependencies, before marching to the neighbouring Simon plantation. “Curnow Dead, Freedom now!” the rebel re-enactors chanted as they moved past modern storefronts, as onlookers lined the street. The re-enactment followed the historic path taken by the rebels; what was once an unpaved trunk road is now a vibrant high street lined with retail stores and mixed-use spaces. “Ah does in de early mornin’ ting yuh know, but dis real different. Big up to whoever organise it,” said Arnold James, an onlooker. As the re-enactors marched along the route, behind them a crowd had begun to form. “Is like something just call meh to walk,” said 18-year-old Stephan Garcia, who found himself in the midst of the swelling procession. To maintain order and ensure the performers could continue uninterrupted, event staff and police officers established a buffer zone, placing themselves between the re-enactors and the growing number of ‘spontaneous’ participants.

Sheila McKenzie, the actress portraying Jean Simon

At the Simon plantation, the rebels were met with Jean Simon, a respected slave driver among the plantation’s enslaved persons and their quasi-representative to the plantation’s owner, Pierre-Marie Simon. Historian Dr Janice McIntosh notes that both Jean Simon and Porter Curnow had had prior interactions and thus surmises that the two may have conspired to plan the revolt over several years. “It was known that Pierre-Marie would sometimes rent out Jean to the Curnow estate,” Dr McIntosh explains. “It is entirely possible that during these visits, the foundations for the revolt would have been quietly laid.” Pierre-Marie had been spared Oscar and Robert’s fate as he had been absent from the plantation for the better part of four months, having left the island to settle business and other affairs in Lourenne. His wife and overseers, however, were not so fortunate. They were virtually hacked to death by the plantation’s enslaved persons and strung up on the large poui tree which stood at the estate’s entrance. For two days, the rebels, which had swelled to around 500, moved across much of Farleigh, dismantling infrastructure, burning fields and freeing enslaved persons. However, by the fourth day, word of the revolt had reached the colonial administration in Port Bradley. “Let it be known that on account of the heinous and barbarous negro uprising, which has resulted in mindless murder, destroyed property and stands as an affront to the Crown’s peace, that martial law is hereby declared in the County of Farleigh,” recited actor Terry Mahadeo, as he read out Governor Stephen Ashdown’s proclamation against the revolt. Standing against the background of a building fashioned to resemble the Governor’s Manor in Port Bradley, Mahadeo, dressed in the Governor’s colonial attire, pointed to the crowd and shouted, “All rebels shall be brought to justice. Be it the will of God.” A sharp crack of musket fire and scattered screams, recreated as part of the production, echoed beyond the gathered spectators.

Re-enactors march along the streets, with sticks and make-shift firearms in hand

A moment of silence followed, only broken by the sound of chains dragging as a line of re-enactors marched along the road, symbolising those who had been captured in the revolt’s aftermath. With word having reached Governor Ashdown, a colonial militia was mobilised, comprised of garrisoned troops, constables of the then Royal Voronan Constabulary, and hastily deputised planters. The force was quickly dispatched to Farleigh, where they confronted Porter [Curnow] and Jean [Simon] at the head of the rebel contingent. The rebels, armed with the rudimentary weapons, including guns and sticks, they had gathered from the various plantations they had raided throughout the previous days, were ultimately cornered in the mangrove wetlands, just north of the Hanrose estate. The brief, yet fierce engagement which followed resulted in the deaths of over 150 rebels and the capture of Porter, Jean and ten other leading co-conspirators. “Ah feel everybody should be out here watchin’ dis,” said Marcia Sylvester, one of the performance’s many onlookers. “Ah didn’t even know is all dis’ happen here. Kill me dead, I thought dem’ big rebellions was for dem’ places like Lodamun, or Statrica.” Ann-Marie Roopchand, another onlooker, said. As the performance reached its end on the steps of the Parliament Building, the crowd, now several hundred strong, stood in silence as the performers re-enacted the revolt’s leaders' final moments. Figures cloaked in black hoods to signify colonial executioners raised mock gallows, while actors portraying Porter and Jean delivered lines drawn from the surviving fragments of their letters. “I pray that should I die, that my people reclaim themselves and throw off the weight which has been hung around our necks,” Marc Roach, the actor portraying Porter Curnow, recited.

Baptiste notes that the performance had been conceptualised with the expressed intent of resurfacing those events which ‘shaped’ modern Vorona. “One thing I’ve always lamented was how easy it is for us [Voronans] to forget where we come from. A lot of people didn’t know about the Cancassay riots. People didn’t know that when they captured Porter Curnow and Jean Simon, they stripped them naked and paraded them through the streets of Port Bradley. They didn’t know that the National Museum in Farleigh literally sits above the remnants of the Curnow Great House. They didn’t know that Porter, Jean and their allies, prior to their capture, secretly wrote letters with the hope that their distribution throughout the other plantations, not just in Eastern Vorona but throughout the entire island, might spark revolution. Many didn’t know the reason we remember the Cancassay Riots before Carnival was because the actions of Porter and Jean did indeed spark similar revolts in other plantations, and we celebrate this spirit of resistance in Carnival. Before the bedazzled costumes, the ‘dutty wining’, the feathers and the soca music, there was a cry for freedom coming from deep within Vorona.”

[imperialpearl]

In a move which has largely come as a major surprise to provincial officials, the province’s energy regulator and the company’s customers, Delpratt Light & Current Ltd, Western Vorona’s largest electricity utility, announced that it had filed for bankruptcy in anticipation of what it considers a “reckoning” of its long-standing and well-documented financial troubles. The company’s filing cited a confluence of factors, including mounting debt from ageing infrastructure and the inability to raise rates sufficiently to cover escalating costs due to regulatory caps imposed by WVPSB (Western Vorona Public Services Board), the province’s main regulator. The company’s fortunes were not helped by the recent strikes throughout the sugarcane industry, which, stemming from broader disputes between the major sugar and industrial producer, Hoyte & Dufour, and thousands of their employees, had an otherwise devastating impact on the utility’s business model. 

According to some estimates, a significant portion of the company’s commercial revenue has traditionally originated from powering the company’s large, energy-intensive sugar mills and processing facilities scattered throughout the province. With operations halted as a result of the strikes, Delpratt reportedly saw a dramatic drop in industrial power consumption not only from Hoyte & Dufour but also from industrial bases adjacent to the sugarcane sector, including fertiliser and rum distilling. Additionally, the broader economic fallout from the disrupted sugarcane harvest translated into reduced purchasing power among households and businesses, which led to increased arrears on electricity bills. In its most recent financial statements, the company noted that arrears on electricity bills among its residential and commercial customers throughout its decades of operation had accounted for 18% of its projected annual revenue; however said arrears had not been collected owing to what it called the “sensitivities” surrounding disconnecting low-income communities, where delinquency rates were highest.

Jorell Wilson, a business analyst, noted that this culture of leniency, when coupled with the virtual collapse of industrial demand, created the perfect storm for the company’s financial standing. “It’s clear to see that the company had been effectively operating within a very fragile balancing act, relying on steady industrial consumption to offset what had become chronic shortfalls from non-paying customers. Once the mills stopped moving, it’s the company’s revenue model unravelled almost overnight,” Wilson explained. Chairman of WVPSB, Dayton Gale, defended the Board’s decision to maintain stringent rate caps, arguing that its primary mandate was to protect consumers (residential, commercial and industrial) from exorbitant price increases, particularly in a province already burdened by a high cost of living. “The WVPSB has always prioritised affordable electricity for the people of Western Vorona,” Gale stressed in a press statement released shortly after Delpratt’s announcement. “Our regulations are designed to protect consumers against predatory practices in this otherwise captive market. While we acknowledge Delpratt’s financial difficulties, those issues are both multi-faceted and not solely attributed to our rate structures. We have consistently encouraged Delpratt to diversify its energy sources and implement better collection mechanisms for outstanding bills,” the statement concluded. 

Some have pointed to the unreliability of Delpratt as an electricity provider, citing frequent and prolonged outages which have plagued the company’s more than 80,000 customers for years, well before the situation surrounding Hoyte & Dufour began. “Mi tell yuh, mi did even tink fi switch company, ’cause one minute mi deh watch mi TV an’ di next ting mi know, BAM!, pure darkness,” one customer recalled. Many have attributed this unreliability to the company’s ageing and inadequately maintained infrastructure. The company has become sort of known within Vorona for the prevalent copper wire theft which occurs throughout the province and has left many communities wanting for better infrastructure. The perception of poor service and high prices for an often-interrupted electricity supply has fueled significant discontent over the years among consumers and has, in some instances, complicated the company’s efforts to justify rate increases.

Delpratt’s filing has sparked a significant debate within Western Vorona as it relates to the role private companies, the vast majority of which do not originate from the state, have had in the province’s future. Public sentiment through the years has softened on the idea of a publicly-owned electricity provider, as many have expressed concerns related to the ‘loyalty’ of ‘foreign’ electricity companies. The current debate extends beyond Delpratt and the electricity sector; it is prompting a major re-evaluation of the province’s economic model and forms part of a growing sense of nationalism within the province itself. Critics of the private-sector-led strategy are questioning whether the other electricity utilities operating in the province have truly delivered on their promises for efficiency and reliability; have the utilities prioritised profits over the public welfare.

Despite this, the Office of the Premier, in a statement released three days following Delpratt’s announcement, stated that it was eager to see the company’s settlement proposal, recognising that, amidst the bankruptcy filing, the company’s customers would have to be shielded from uncertainty. “I am eagerly awaiting to see the company’s bankruptcy plan as it is my understanding that the company does not intend to shutter operations completely but hopes to restructure,” Premier of Western Vorona, Deven Bedlow, said via social media earlier this morning. In contrast to Bedlow’s enthusiasm for a restructuring deal, some have leaned into public sentiments on nationalisation. Wayne Samuelson, political leader of the Western Vorona Progress Party, has stated that the WVPP supported bringing utilities under public ownership, stating that rumblings of economic nationalism in the province were not a result of scepticism of foreign firms, but rather, a genuine and deep-seated desire for greater local control, notwithstanding the upcoming provincial elections.

[imperialpearl]

A mere hour into the commencing of their work shift, hundreds of employees of Hoyte & Dufour’s three (3) major sugar processing facilities walked off the job following a rejection of the renegotiated terms of the contract by the company’s senior management team, bringing the operations of one of the nation’s largest employers to a grinding halt. In a vote which secured 97% of the casting ballots, members of the All Voronan Sugar Producers Trade Union (AVSPTU) voted in favour of downing their tools and machinery and striking against the proposed renegotiated terms. Both the AVSPTU, which represents some 83% of the company’s employees (ranging from factory workers to middle-level analysts and technicians), and the senior management team have been engaged in an intense and extremely emotional negotiation which, prior to now, had threatened to destabilise the Voronan sugar industry. Annual reports dating back to two years ago point to the company’s troubled finances as the cash-strapped company struggles to compete in the global market against more established firms in Luthori and Lourenne, despite being one of the nation’s more productive entities.

Employees have noted that the company’s management team has openly “dangled their jobs in their face” by threatening on numerous occasions to pack up its operations and move to Ntoto across the channel, in response to persistent requests from AVSPTU representatives to meet with both the senior management and a representative of the board of directors to discuss worker grievances. “It eh to say what we doin here have no kinda grounds, eh. We see wit we own eyes how senior management does keep threatenin’ to mash up de whole operation, an’ move to Ntoto,” Clive Lawrence, a foreman within the company’s processing division, explained. The strike was not only for employees within the company’s processing facilities but also included employees essential to the operations of the sugarcane fields that feed said processing facilities. At the same time, employees within the processing facilities downed their tools, and workers in the sugarcane fields scattered throughout Western and Eastern Vorona abandoned their machines and walked off the plantations.

Striking employees say that their requests for better working conditions, reasonable pay increases and an adjustment to the company’s pension plan to reflect the clear sacrifices made by the hundreds of men and women who keep the company afloat. Within Hoyte & Dufour, it is company policy that a cocktail of pesticides and herbicides be used to protect the plants against borers, pest-like insects which bore small holes into the stem and roots of the sugarcane and ultimately infect the stalk. Both planters and cultivators have voiced their concerns related to the health implications of persistent exposure to harsh pesticides and herbicides. A recent study by researchers from the University of Vorona found that when compared to other employees within the company (including processing and distribution), cultivators, in particular, were at an acute risk of developing numerous forms of cancer, including prostate and bladder cancer. “Some ah meh partners start to get lil complications wit dey body, an when dey go by de doctor, boom!, cancer, jus’ so,” Paul Seecharan, a tractor operator, explained. “An yuh know de funny part ‘bout it? It eh even to say we didn’t bring all ah dis to de managers.” 

Employees recalled a memo produced by the company’s Chief Safety Officer, which noted that the company’s insurance policy would no longer cover injuries and ailments as a result of exposure to the pesticide and herbicide used in sugarcane cultivation. In the immediate aftermath of the memo, the AVSPTU lobbied for both the resignation of CSO Cyrille Saunier and a reversal of the change in insurance coverage. Even as the company continues to struggle financially, annual earnings reports also point to significant pay increases for the company’s senior management, including the CEO, CFO, CIO, etc. Prior to the most recent round of wage negotiations, it had been reported that as a result of abnormal profits, the senior management team would see an 8% proportional increase in their salaries alongside various allowances, whilst other employees were treated to a 4% increase. Evidently, the wage proposal had been rejected as the union noted that such a proposal was a “slap in the face of workers”, especially amidst the nation’s serious economic deterioration.

The AVSPTU has noted that the strike would continue as long as its demands are not met. The union’s General Secretary, Dwayne Matthews, explained that the union had been planning the strike action for months and had accumulated enough savings among its membership to wage a brutal war of attrition against Hoyte & Dufour: “We plannin’ dis action months now. We went around tellin’ we members, as much as possible, put aside lil piece ah dey salary, an’ we [the union] go top it up wit extra money to keep de fire burnin’. We go fight a war against Hoyte & Dufour, ’cause we know dey cyah survive another quarter ah poor financial performance.” Among the union’s principal demands, a 20 per cent increase in wages over the next three years and cost-of-living adjustments had been identified as priorities. Some analysts have noted that as the strike action drags on, the situation could ultimately destabilise the Voronan sugar industry and could, in many instances, force Hoyte & Dufour to shutter operations in Vorona completely. 

“Notwithstanding the importance of ensuring workers are treated fairly, the strike action would have the unintended effect of destabilising the sugar industry. Hoyte & Dufour is the largest and only sugarcane cultivation and processing company in Vorona. Its already weakening financial standing could be worsened if the strike continues indefinitely and could force the company to close down operations in Vorona,” Steve Mahase, a business analyst, explained. The Department of Labour and Social Services has called for the AVSPTU and Hoyte & Dufour to return to the negotiating table, this time with the federal government acting as a mediator between the two groups, however, according to a statement from the Department’s corporate communications unit, neither the AVSPTU nor Hoyte & Dufour have responded to their proposal. Some have noted that should the situation precipitate, the Federal Government may have to intervene directly; however, the extent of its intervention (if it may even be necessary) remains unclear.

[imperialpearl]

One of Vorona's largest employers and a major driver of the nation's domestic economy is struggling to remain afloat after announcing its intention to downsize operations and abandon future investment plans. Hoyte & Dufour, a key player in the nation's economy and potentially the sub-region's largest producer of sugar and related products, has faced numerous challenges that have worsened the company's once stable financial standing. An ongoing dispute between the firm and the All Voronan Sugar Producers Trade Union (AVSPTU) culminated in a large-scale strike across the company's three major processing plants, effectively halting sugar cultivation and processing. The union, representing over 6,000 workers of Hoyte & Dufour, fiercely opposed proposed changes to employment terms, citing unfair wages, unsafe working conditions, and reduced benefits as the main reasons for the strike action. The union's General Secretary, Dwayne Matthews, argued that unexpected, unnegotiated changes to employee benefits could not be accepted under any realistic scenario, especially when juxtaposed with enhanced compensation packages for upper management. “Allyuh cyah expect workers to eat all kinda shit while de managers an’ dem livin’ nice,” Matthews told reporters on the first day of the strike. With the strike action now entering its second month, Hoyte & Dufour is already beginning to feel the strain of below-average productivity. In a bold statement made during the initial weeks of the protest, the CEO of Hoyte & Dufour, William Peck, warned that the company would be forced to make “difficult decisions” if the strike action continued indefinitely. Peck stated that the company was willing to meet with labour leaders but would only do so on the condition that the strike was suspended and workers returned to their posts. “We simply cannot be expected to negotiate under duress. We intend to meet the AVSPTU halfway,” Peck said. In rejecting Peck's ultimatum, the AVSPTU noted that it was a veiled attempt to disrupt the momentum built by the strike and silence worker grievances without committing to addressing their concerns.

In its recent quarterly financial report, Hoyte & Dufour noted that, amidst the strike action, the company had primarily relied on emergency credit lines and short-term export contracts to stay afloat. Through a revolving credit arrangement with Global Credit Union, the company secured short-term working capital to maintain minimal operations and honour select short-term export contracts. It noted that although it had “significant” cash reserves to weather the strike for a time, those reserves were rapidly depleting as the dispute continued into its fifth month. In a statement issued earlier this morning, the company announced that, as the strike action continued to strain the company's finances significantly, the board of directors had ultimately decided to approve a broad plan to restructure the firm's operations, aiming to downsize its activities throughout the country. Citing a collapse in investor confidence, a factor deemed essential to the company's credit lifeline alongside critically low cash reserves, the firm's Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Joseph Macdonald, stated that it would be unrealistic for anyone to assume that the company could continue in its current form. In a statement appended to the company's recent financial documents, Macdonald noted that any downsizing exercise would primarily focus on avoiding bankruptcy. “If we are to undergo a restructuring exercise, we will ensure the long-term viability of the company and seek to minimise the potential for a broader economic fallout,” Macdonald's statement read. Chairman of the Board of Directors, Édouard Pleimelding, detailed the nature of the board's restructuring plan, indicating that the company intended to lay off approximately 3,000 workers from various departments, including cultivation and processing, marketing, and distribution. Additionally, the company would close one of its processing plants in Straughn, Eastern Vorona, with its remaining two plants in Mormont and Prinslow, Western Vorona, set to “pick up the slack”. In a fiery statement issued just 30 minutes after Pleimelding's statement, the AVSPTU argued that the company was ‘cutting its nose to spite its face,’ adding that the move was ‘wholly illegal’ and would be challenged in court.

Backdate June 5666