Kalistan

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Spotlight on: Green County
The Rural Anantan County holds vast Natural Beauty
Bozo River, Grand Duchy of Ananto
November 20, 5664


Lighthouse at East Point in the Six Sisters Region of Ananto looks west to Meridian

As Princess Nicolette Ananto-Collins is entitled Countess of Green, new attention is brought to the most rural county on Ananto. Served by Interstate Highway 4, which runs the length of the county from Bozo River to Luxon in southern Ananto, as well as Ananto Highways 3 and 4, both of which connect the county to Eveari, and lastly by the National Rail Service between Bozo River and Eveari and then to Kaliburg, the county has a very sparse population, mostly of folks who want to settle outside of the major population centers: More than 9/10ths of Green County's 41,200 permanent population lives in Bozo River, and there are many places in Green County where nobody lives within a five mile radius of any given spot. If you want to "get away from it all" Green County is the place to be.

What makes Green County so special is its relatively moderate climate, its very laid back slow paced mentality, and its distinct culture which is a product of geographical and cultural apartness from the various capitals of Ananto over the years. Going to Green County is like going back in time, to an era when things were simpler and more rustic. The county has all modern conveniences: per capita, it is one of the most connected counties in the entire Empire, in terms of communications, travel, and infrastructure. But homes tend to be built from natural building materials, including cob and redwood, tend to attempt to fit better into the landscape, and tend to run off localized utilities. The people themselves prefer a hearty diet of local produce and meats, tend to eat less fish and more beef and lamb, and are widely known to tolerate venison. Despite the focus on local sourcing of necessities, prices can be expensive, especially for things that need to be brought in from other areas of the Empire, as there is no easy source of supply in the county outside of the Military supply infrastructure, which is not available to the civilian population.

As you leave either Dahriel or Bozo River behind and journey into the hinterland, you are immediately greeted with the earthy, pastoral sights of rolling hills, rushing rivers, mountain peaks in the distance, and thickets of volunteer forest dotting the landscape. The land slopes upward from east to west, as the broad meadows give way to foothills, which tend to be more wooded than grassy, deeper valleys with cataracts and waterfalls created as one of the Six Sisters rushes over capstone and falls sometimes 130 feet into a gorge below, and lower hills capped in fog and lower clouds. Finally, the border of the County runs along the crest of the Green Mountains which separate the County from Eveari County to the north. Here you will find canyons, v shaped river valleys caused by erosion, lots of trails for hiking and viewing nature, and dense forests fed by nearly constant precipitation from the Meridian air and ocean currents running south to north on the east side of the Island.

The winters are moderate, rainy, and keep the entire county lush and well watered, guaranteeing two full growing seasons for many crops per year. The summers have daily rains, often gentle from the uplift of the air over the land and its condensation as it rolls up the mountain faces, falling back to earth and creating the rushing torrents that are the headwaters of the Six Sisters Rivers. But there are clear, pleasant days as well during much of the year that add to the mystique and allure of the land. "I just love hiking in the Green Mountains," said avid hiker Kelly Jones, of Eveari. "There's this little B&B I always come to when I come out here, which is about 500 feet away from the trail head of one of the most beautiful hikes on this island, straight to the top of Lost Peak. The Lost Peak is an extinct volcano and it has a really pretty lake inside the crater--regardless of how much rain falls in it, it always stays the same level. I kid you not: 'Majestic' is a term that doesn't cover it."

The Middle Valley of the Michelle River, southern most of the Six Sisters in rural Green County

The low population and the high cost of maintenance also makes the county also rather more expensive to live in than some of the more populated counties. Life in Rural Green County is certainly not a privilege all can afford to enjoy. The county has long been the focus of Land Barons who have attempted to settle, only to eventually abandon their titles because it is in many ways difficult to live so far away from services more common to the west and south. But some Baronies have survived recapture, and have increased to often sprawling estates that provide a significant portion of the grapes for wine production in Kalistan, as well as the opium for production of various analgesics and narcotics in the Empire. There is also limited cattle ranching in the County, and much of the beef that is grazed here sells at a premium in Kaliburg, Eveari and Luxon, or exported to other nations, while dairy tends to be consumed mainly on the island.

Nearly the entire county outside of the mountains is suitable for grazing: You will more likely find a sheep here than a human, and many of the land baronies fund their estate operations through the sale of wool to Kalistani's textile makers, and lamb and mutton to the tables of the meat eaters in the Empire. Vast vineyards and great fields of opium poppies are common in the uplands, while in the south, toward Dah County, you will also see large plantations of cannabis operations. Within the past seventy five years, Southern Green County has also seen a major expansion of the oil bearing crop sector as well as cotton cultivation, though the weather is more appropriate for these crops further south in Dah County and in Odufaray. The produce of these and other agricultural operations is regularly regulated by the Ananto Growers' Syndicate, which all those who cultivate more than 250 acres annually are required to be active members of.

Most of the homes in rural Green County tend to be larger than homes you will find in more densely populated areas in Kalistan and Ananto. This is largely due to the fact that there are so few people nearby, so people have room to spread out a bit more. But home size also owes to the fact that most of the people in rural Green County are members of the land peerage. Much of the land, which has been agricultural land since time immemorial, was left fallow and vacant for centuries before the Empire began encouraging resettlement with the Rural Land Act, early last century. Following that act, hundreds of wealthy families arrived in Green County as well as other rural counties across the Empire to claim Baronies. Unfortunately, the land rush did not produce lasting change, as many of the Land Knights and Barons who took advantage of the law bought the land and constructed their home on the property but failed to meet the cultivation requirements, and most surrendered their titles to the land and the peerage within a few years.

Those who stayed on became an agriculture based Gentry in the land, each enjoying near complete dominion over their respective parcels of land, aggrandizing them as they can. Some of the largest land owners in the County own more than 20,000 acres, and often other smaller residences that sit on those acres. Large land owners will occasionally fund the construction of settlements and villages for the purpose of providing hired help with housing and basic amenities. Most landowners in the county, however, are small farmers who annually cultivate just under the 250 acres necessary for them to join the Growers' Syndicate, and just sell directly to the Syndicate without actually joining it. Most small farmers will operate local farmers markets where whatever local population there is can visit to purchase fresh, locally produced foods, beverages, textiles and fabrics, and even local honey: Apiaries are a very common sight in Green County, and Green County honey is widely available throughout the Empire.

"I enjoy living out here because it is just easy," said local land owner Tom Wright, who owns a small plot of land in the Southern Part of the county. "I've been a farmer all my life, but the best part about the arrangements I have all I need here on my land, and I don't have to worry about a lot of the competition that I would if I lived in a different part of the Island or the Empire. I grow my crops, I sell them in one fell swoop to the Growers' Syndicate, and then I plan for next season. Meanwhile, it is very easy to live here. I can run every single morning of the year if I like: even the rain in the wintertime isn't that bad. I get to be outside, I eat whole foods and drink cool water all day, and then when the work day is done, me and the wife and the kids decide how we want to spend our evenings. No stress, no problems."

One notable exception to this concept of the Landed Ag Gentry in the County is the Baronetcy of Ravens' Head, which is located along the Caroline River, or the northern most of the Six Sisters outside of Bozo River. This parcel is not a Land Barony. The estate is made of 1000 acres of granted land as a gift from the Empire of Ananto and Kalistan to the Sovereign of the Kingdom of Hutori. The Sovereign also holds a special rank of Knight/Lady Commander of the Order, which entitles them to familial prerogative under the Imperial House Law. A large, beautiful home sits on the property, and it has views of the Meridian Strait above Sea Cliffs, as well as views of the northern most spine of the foothills of the Green Mountains.

A visit to rural Green County is a feast for the senses. From the beautiful geography to the vast open spaces filled with clean air, pure water and lush vegetation, it truly is a garden spot on Ananto and in Kalistan as a whole. Here you can find plenty of game if you are a hunter, plenty of fish if you are an angler, miles upon miles of hiking, running and biking trails, to offer year round outdoor activity, a cozy and out of the way bed and breakfast here, a surprise poppy field there, and tends of thousands of acres of pure, pastoral natural solitude. If you get lost, you can always follow one of the rushing rivers to the sea and then follow the coast north to Bozo River, but not all those who are lost out here wish to be found.

Green County truly is a hidden gem in Ananto.

@TheRepublic

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Saying Goodbye to Michelle Ananto-Sandoval
Youngest Child of Carolina has died at 81
Dulnerstaad, Grand Duchy of Ananto
February 30, 5665


Princess and Naturalist Michelle Ananto, last November in Dulnerstaad, while viewing a family of Sea Otters

Life long naturalist and one time Regent, Her Highness, Princess Michelle Ananto-Sandoval, has died of a stroke at age 81 at her home in Dulnerstaad. The sister of the Late Emperor Fredrick III Ananto, daughter of Empress Carolina I Ananto and aunt of Her Imperial Majesty Mary I Ananto and Her Highness, Princess Margaret Ananto-DeLaurentis the former head of House Ananto turned Director of the National Aquarium and Maritime Wildlife Conservation Center held a lifelong commitment to the preservation, conservation and restoration of Maritime fauna in and around the Northern Anantonese Ocean. Lady Michelle viewed her life's mission as one of service, and through her donations of both time and money, the National Aquarium has become one of the premier Aquatic Wildlife sites in all of Terra.

Princess Michelle died of a severe stroke in her home just a couple months before her 82nd Birthday. She was surrounded by her family when she passed under the care of a Physician. The Princess was believed to suffer with hypertension for much of her later years, which is believed to have contributed to the stroke. Arrangements had been made for compassionate end of life care should they be needed, but the stroke ended her life first.

Lady Michelle Ananto grew up in the shadow of the Royal Family. Neither her nor her brother were prone to the taciturn characteristic of the Ananto Family: She was outgoing, gregarious, and easily made friends. She supported her brother until his untimely death and served as head of House Ananto well into the tenure of his successor, Her Imperial Majesty Mary I Ananto. Her time was known for aggressive foreign investment, as well as careful and transparent management of the Family's finances. She passed those traits to her daughter, the Lady Helen Ananto-Reynolds who took over for the Princess at House Ananto 16 years ago. From that point on, Lady Michelle her steadfast and careful guidance to the Dulnerstaad Aquarium full time, and worked with the Empress to get the seas around Dulnerstaad declared a National Aquatic Wildlife Conservation Zone. She eventually had to pull back from her job at the Dulnerstaad Aquarium as well, and worked part time as the Aquarium's grant writer and administrator for the last four years, and even worked the day before her death.

"Lady Michelle is beloved by all people who worked at the Aquarium," said her replacement director Yael Marquis last year. "You will never see such a tireless champion of the Sea as you do in the Princess. She is truly an inspiration to all of us: She has a lot of energy still and frequently leads tours in the Aquarium that she is largely responsible for building over the course of her lifetime. We just love having her around here, and she loves the job she does for us, which is writing grants for continued funding, for expanding services, and hiring more people. And she is so humble in her role too: While we know we all pretty much owe all of this to her, she only will accept a single dime a year for her time, and always talks up her team, without talking herself up ever. She is what we should all aspire to be."

Lady Michelle was committed to her vocation, more than anything else. It was her lifelong passion. "To me, the most important thing is our seas," said Princess Michelle in 5660. "Unhealthy seas lead to unhealth land. It's all a cycle, and the more we can do to help restore the natural state of our seas, the better off we all will be. Healthy fish populations, dolphins, whales, healthy corals, kelp forests, it all adds up to cleaner water, air and land. We are seeing some improvement, but now is the time to really go all out. And furthermore, I am so proud of what my niece, the Empress is doing with trees and land conservation in Kalistan and Ananto. Together we are returning Kalistan to a more natural paradise that we always said it was."

Indeed, Lady Michelle was responsible in her lifetime for the reintroduction of more than a dozen wildlife species into the Ananto Strait which had been either reduced to endangered status or were gone all together. "Our Nation has set the maritime area around Dulnerstaad as the National Maritime Wildlife Conservation Area, which aims to keep certain beach habitats off limits to development, and aims to keep large ships away from breeding and hunting grounds," said Lady Michelle". "Now we can see seals, otters, sea lions and some walruses beaching them selves here and swimming and hunting in our coastal waters, without having to worry about shipping or fishing competing with them for space. We can see blue whales here, sperm whales, bottlenose dolphins, sharks, and large schools of tuna and various ocean fish. We have restored several deep water reefs north of Ananto. Its a life's work one can be very proud of."

Princess Michelle is survived by her husband, Sir Tom Reynolds, and three children including Lady Helen Ananto-Reynolds, as well as seven grand children, all of whom are counted as members of the Royal Family in Kalistan. She was preceded in death by her mother and father, Carolina and William, and her brother Fredrick. The Princess has requested to be buried in the family mausoleum in Eveari. A small private memorial service will be held in Dulnerstaad, for family, colleagues and friends.

Rest in Peace to an important naturalist and a gentle soul.

@TheRepublic

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Opinion: Kalistan's Continued Role in the Terra
Is Retrenchement in Ananto's Future?
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
March 8, 5665


Her Imperial Majesty, nearing retirement, looks to Kalistan's future and her legacy

This is an editorial by The Kalistani Republic's Editor in Chief, Marcia Weller. Ms. Weller's views are her own and does not reflect the official position of The Kalistani Republic, which is journalistic objective neutrality on all matters related to the news and the the Government. -KR

Her Imperial Majesty the Empress Mary I Ananto turns 55 years old this year, and in the civilian sector, 55 is the age of retirement. There is no indication that the Empress is prepared to retire from office for at least another seven years, but as the Crown Prince finishes national service and begins the process to replace the Empress on the Throne of the Anantonese Empire, one has to believe that she is now considering what sort of legacy she intends to leave to the next generation of Anantonese Emperors.

To take honest stock in where the Anantonese Empire sits, Her Imperial Majesty still retains a significant amount of absolute power within the region. Even though it is continuing to conduct a naval evaluation that will likely lead to at least some amount of retrenchment, to include reduction in fleet size and possibly a return of Bentasur to Gaduridos, the Kalistani Regular Navy is still the premier force in the Anantonese Ocean. Egelion possesses some advantages with regard to the ability to project its power, and the Lodamese Navy focuses its naval superiority to the west rather than the east of its territory, but Kalistan still retains four major battle fleets currently operating within the Northern and Central Anantonese Ocean, as well as a fortress mentality with overwhelming artillery and a respectable mobile tactical force including partisan irregulars who are constantly and obsessively preparing to repel an invasion, and have been doing so for centuries. With these assets, Kalistan maintains a high level of regional security.

But: politically, Kalistan has been greatly weakened even within the region. Far from its zenith during the Likatonian conflict, the Empire itself has more or less fallen apart. AE is an empire in decline, having lost Lodamun decades ago and with Gaduridos following Kaliburg's lead usually less than happily. The inability of Kalistan to not only capitalize upon, but exert any level of influence over events in Rildanor shows a state outmaneuvered by a conflict that it could not effectively even address, due to long standing national interests, none of which were served by Kalistani intervention. Consequently, it was unable to resist the establishment of a permanent external presence in Meriath, and unwilling to accommodate or prevent a quasi fascist state from taking hold in Seleya. And furthermore, it had to merely accept Gaduridos publicly criticizing Kalistan and forcing capitulation in Kaliburg to leftist populist demands in Ciudad Gadur.

The failure of the Empress to push Kalistani interests to the forefront of Anantonese Affairs heralds an eventual break between Kalistan and Gaduridos and the ultimate collapse of the Anantonese Empire as a transnational organization. AE has already earned the moniker "Empire in Name Only" by some of the more moronic international pundits, but even some Kalistanis are questioning the continued interest of Kalistan toward the Anantonese Empire. Deputy Miguel Blanco of Spencer asked "What do we gain in Kalistan from trying to keep a state clearly more interested in going its own way like Gaduridos tethered to Kalistan? The imperial relationship was long ago snapped off, Gaduridos is getting much bolder in its foreign policy, and has demonstrated no real interest in seeking Kalistan's input on virtually anything. The Southern Kingdom is following the same path towards ultimately breaking ties with Kaliburg that Lodamun did earlier in the Empress' reign, so maybe it is time to cut Gaduridos loose to sink or swim on its own, and retrench here in Kalistan." His position, while still a fringe opinion, seems to be growing within the Empire of Ananto and Kalistan, not shrinking.

Kalistan does maintain security agreements with Gaduridos however. The Kalistani Navy defends Gaduridos and ensures that it can focus nearly all its resources on domestic development, which has been a boon for Gaduridos since the reign of Carolina I Ananto. Kalistani investors, primarily House Ananto's front Miramar, have invested more than a trillion Imperial Rubles into Gaduridos at every level of its industry, to help local capital turn the nation from a forgotten and neglected equatorial republic into a thriving nation that others seek out in its more than century with Kalistan. Removal of Kalistani capital from the Island would likely devastate both Gaduridos and Kalistan economically. Needless to say, there is plenty of reasons for Kalistan and Gaduridos to remain tied to one another.

But there are also plenty of reasons for Kalistan to re-evaluate its position in the region. With Egelion and Lodamun each approximating modern day super power status able to project their military might globally, and no other serious contenders in the region in terms of raw power, what is there left for Kalistan to defend? "The Security Doctrine of Kalistan is that the entrances to the Anantonese Ocean be closed to Artanians and Majatrans," said Deputy Blanco. "Lodamun has massive fire power in its literal navy sitting right in the Karzon Strait. Egelion happily patrols the waters between Keris and Dovani, and now they also patrol the southern approach to the the Strait from the base they illicitly acquired as a result of their little police action in Rildanor recently. Seriously, there is no reason we ought to be duplicating their forces, when both of those nations are more than willing to spend such huge amounts of money to build and operate pure projection forces around the globe. Kalistan can and should save that money we're spending and put it toward improving our own nation rather than footing the bill for preponderance of force that we don't need, and merely serves to back up what other nations are doing."

Critics of retrenchment have dubbed this attitude expressed by Blanco as "free-riderism" while others have called it "isolationist." But those who are calling for retrenchment are getting louder in public. The recent top to bottom review of Naval assets and forces shows that concern about over spending is reaching even the top echelons of Government. The order to review forces is believed to have come from Her Imperial Majesty herself, who is reportedly rather concerned that Gaduridos is slipping away, and who is annoyed that Kalistan was checkmated in Rildanor by Egelion and the quasifascists on the mainland.

"Her Imperial Majesty is more concerned about the balance of power in the region than others are," said Foreign Policy Professor Dr. Mike Lee, of Suldanor Duchy University. "Both Egelion and Lodamun conduct their affairs without regard to any sort of concept of security dilemma. Both states act with impunity in their respective theaters when cooperation would go a million miles to reduce uncertainty here around actions. There doesn't seem to be a shared vision for the Anantonese Ocean region outside of 'don't get in anyone else's way,' and of course the Empress' protests fall on deaf ears anyway. Kalistan has been marginalized significantly by others, and Kalistan doesn't appear to be in a position to do much about it. Naturally this is concerning to those in Kalistan's political institutions who wish to continue to show Kalistan's relevance on the world stage. It's a proposition that is getting harder to sell with each passing day."

Could anything be done to arrest this decline? It is not entirely certain that Her Imperial Majesty wishes to. Coming to power when Kalistan was truly the unquestioned hegemon, Mary nonetheless also inherited a number of geopolitical obstacles and crises which were beyond her control, and which inexperience and a desire to try something different created openings for others to take some advantage of. The Empress will be known for many things, but they are almost all domestic, not international. At the end of Mary's reign, Kalistan is more Empire-weary than Empire-seeking, and Her Imperial Majesty, ever haughty, as Emperors and Empresses are wont to be, seems to be more focused on adorning her Nation with brilliant gemstones than with asserting Kalistani power abroad. So the answer to the question is, probably not.

The end of the Anantonese Century will come not with a bang, but with a whisper of acquiescence. Rising powers do not look to Kalistan for our opinion any longer. We have a navy that is far too big for its current mission imperatives, and which is not even invited to contribute to regional security any longer. We are sidestepped by our own Constituent State in Gaduridos whenever possible. Kalistan may not be able to unravel itself from Gaduridos any time soon, but the shine of that relationship has been buffed clean off by a leftist populist party which is clearly not happy being tied to the Empire any longer, nor feels any traditional obligation toward it at all. And all this despite Kalistan trying to hold everything together that it once had.

But when the end finally does come, whenever that is, in either the near or distant future, will the Anantonese Empire be missed? There are tens of millions in multiple places around the world who mention a collective "no" to that question, though they gleefully ignore all other questions emanating from Kaliburg. But more and more in Kalistan itself, a pro-isolation, pro-retrenchment wing also answers "no" under its breath. To speak against the Empire is akin to blasphemy within Kalistan, and whatever republicans in the region wish to do, Absolute Fiat rule will be safe and secure within Ananto and Kalistan. But some Kalistani's patience with our neighbors is running out, and a growing call to pull back in the region to our traditional role of only caring about Ananto and Kalistan and leaving others to fend for themselves seems to be gaining some traction even at the highest levels.

This may very well be the legacy, at least internationally, that Her Imperial Majesty passes to Fredrick, when he takes the throne as Fredrick the IV. A much diminished Anantonese Empire, a greatly diminished role in international affairs, and a smaller footprint in Terra. That would certainly suit whatever is left of Kalistan's international rivals. It certainly would be horrible for regional security, the economy of Northern Seleya, and the prestige of Kalistan. But it also may be inevitable.

A collapse of the Anantonese Empire tomorrow would send major economic shockwaves through the region and the world. It would open up a massive hole in the ocean which Kalistan would then be unwilling to fill, and it would likely turn two former partners firmly against one another. There are a million reasons to stay together, and no reasons to split, but even that may not be enough, because as voices for retrenchment and isolation grow louder in Kalistan, after the spat over Istalian trade in 5659 which barely measured waves in Gaduridos but sent tsunamis through Ananto, there are seemingly fewer and fewer voices at all in Gaduridos anymore for union, except perhaps the Viceroy. And the Empress.

Retrenchment and Kalistani isolation may be an inevitable fate that nobody can afford or seeks out, but are unable and unwilling to stop.

The current line on a split inside the Anantonese Empire within the next 20 years, from Sulari bookmakers, by the way is still a longshot at +1850. Five years ago it was +6350.

@TheRepublic

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Empress and Lady Jensen visit Hutori
Isle of Sutton is "cold, and beautiful" said Jensen
Isle of Sutton, Kingdom of Hutori
April 3, 5665


In her first visit to the Grand Duchy of the Isle of Sutton, Empress is welcomed by population

In her first visit to the Isle of Sutton, Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Mary I Ananto was treated to a warm welcome by the local nobility and Gentry. She had the opportunity to meet with local officials, to greet the House staff at Sutton Manor and to take audience with the people of the Island. Sutton is the northernmost landmass in Terra, and even with a temperate ocean current, is cold at this time of year. She was accompanied on her two week trip by Her Highness, the Lady Companion Victoria Jensen.

"The land was quite beautiful, despite its coldness and starkness," said Lady Victoria, who spoke to reporters for the couple. "We had the opportunity to tour the entire island, including the volcanic northern barony,. Looking straight north, all you see is water, but you know, just beyond the horizon the ice cap starts, and then nothing but polar bears and penguins. It is truly breath taking." The couple spent most of their time in Sutton proper.

"I think the Empress was truly charmed by the friendliness and generosity of the people of the Island here," said the Lady Companion. "They were informed ahead of time and spent two weeks inviting us to gatherings, welcoming us to visit them at their homes, and stopping by to say hello while we were out and about in town. They called Mary 'Your Imperial Majesty' wherever we went, and we could tell after only a short time, that it was a term of endearment." Lady Jensen said that most shops displayed a photo of both Queen Arianna and Her Imperial Majesty prominently, "either the photo that was taken of the two when Mary came to the Queen's wedding, or as a side by side cameo. I dare say the Empress may be more popular here than she is at home!"

Hutori is known for its genuineness and its generosity. "The Northern Kingdom and Kalistan have a long long history of open cultural diffusion between us. Hutori is a steadfast member of ODEN, but far more importantly, we share a mutual love of good music, food and festivals. We have been allies in times of war and peace for as long as anyone can even remember, and have only positive things to say about Hutori and her people. It is a long standing romance between our two people, and is perhaps Kalistan's most important relationship internationally, beyond the borders of the AE."

The Empress and the Lady Companion also spent some time together at the Manor on Sutton estate, and threw one gala where Island notables as well as Commoners were welcomed. Hutorian rock band The Blackhawks served as houseband for the well attended event, and great fun was had by all. "The Gala allowed the Empress to meet lots of people including those who technically are subject to the Empress' jurisdiction in her capacity as Grand Duchess of the Isle of Sutton. But rather than requiring any bowing or supplicating, the setting was purely social, and allowed the Empress to introduce herself and meet with the nobility and Gentry. This relaxed atmosphere was welcomed and allowed people to simply enjoy the evening." When the two weren't hosting or attending parties and gatherings, they had the opportunity to relax in a local onsen, created from a local spring of heated mineral water, that is on the property or spend time in the Sauna.

Lady Jensen said the couple's visit to the Isle of Sutton was not entirely for vacation purposes. "Her Imperial Majesty was also in Hutori to confer upon Her Highness the Queen the title of Baroness of Raven's Head. The entitlement followed a fiat she issued aggrandizing the property of the Baronetcy in Green County from 1000 acres to 7500 acres and retitling it a Barony. The aggrandizement now includes the small village of Caroline River, which has always been just on the other side of the River from the Baronetcy. Caroline River has a population of 248 people, most of whom are engaged in local farming or a small fishing operation that sells its produce in Bozo River about 50 miles away. The addition to the village automatically increases the demesne to Barony Status, making Queen Arianna a Baroness in the Kalistani Peerage."

The entitling of the Queen makes the foreign sovereign the highest ranking foreign peer in the Empire of Ananto and Kalistan. This is not an issue in Kalistan, however according to Lady Jensen. "Her Majesty, the Queen already holds familiar privileges via her title in the Order of the Gray Smoke. For all practical purposes the Queen is more like an adopted niece or even little sister to the Empress. In Ananto, she is considered a local. Increasing her demesne makes complete sense, even with existing peerage." The conferral of the title took place at Newport Castle, Bekenial, Acton, in formal audience with the Queen. The ceremony was brief and was attended by the local press. it was followed by a private dinner and an overnight at the Royal Palace. Following the night in Bekenial, the pair visited Axeminster and Icehaven for a night, and then said goodbye to Hutori to return to Kaliburg.

"We will definitely be coming back," said Lady Jensen. "It was such a pleasure to meet all the people, and the home here is so beautiful. Sutton went all out for us, and we are so thankful for the opportunity to have visited and met everyone."

@LaModa

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25 New Coffee Plantation Starts registered
Upper Lucid River being transformed into Coffee land
Lucid Valley, Duchy of Suldanor
June 1, 5665


Land Baron Jack Martini Opened his plantation for Lucid Coffee a year ago

The Upper Lucid River valley is beginning to attract new land owners who have begun opening Coffee plantations.  The move follows the success of the first coffee plantation, opened during the Lucid Crisis ten years ago.  Del Rio Coffee has turned a profit for five years in a row, and the success is attracting newcomers to the Kalistani Coffee Industry.

"When Del Rio was started, everyone laughed," said recent Land Baron Jack Martini, who has opened his own plantation a year ago.  "The owner, Baron Collin Robinson, was believed to be wasting his money, and couldn't get an investment loan, because nobody believed that coffee could grow this far north.  But Robinson proved us all wrong, didn't he.  Southern Suldanor is below the tropic, and the high altitude and wet/dry seasons as well as the natural cloud cover levels up here, while bad for cultivation of food and oil bearing plants, happens to be fantastic for coffee production.  Hence, I'm here too.  And lots more are coming."

The upper Lucid River valley has become a hot spot for speculative starter companies.  This year alone, the Suldanor Growers' Syndicate has registered more than two dozen new starts in the Lucid River Valley alone.  "Soil agronomy done by the University in Yoshimi shows that there are similar growing conditions up near Frontera and Temmon on the upper Yoshimi River," said Martini.  "Those towns are small now, but if there is some success with a few healthy harvests, we'll see this all over western Suldanor."

The rapid growth of the coffee industry in the South West represents a fairly major inflow of investment into the frontier region.  Even Her Imperial Majesty has gotten into the game, as Miramar recently purchased more than 10,000 acres in the upper Lucid Valley with an aim to start its own coffee plantation.  The ground is being prepared currently, and will begin being planted likely next year. 

"There may come a time when Kalistani coffee can compete with international suppliers," said Lady Helen Ananto-Reynolds, head of House Ananto, to the Conference of the Suldanor Growers' Syndicate last winter.  “When Lady Dana invested so deeply into Gaduri Coffee, she intended for the industry to become a world supplier.  With new production in Kalistan, perhaps it’s time for us to take up that mantle instead, especially if we ever lose our supplies of coffee coming up from the South."

Lucid Coffee tends to be a bit sweeter and more chocolatey owing to its shorter growing season and different soil than Gaduri blends.  "We've found that coffee is quite sensitive to temperature variation, soil ph's, rainfall, and cloud cover," said Martini.  "We have much different growing conditions than they do in Gaduridos and the few other coffee producing regions in the world, which tend to be much closer to the equator.  The coffees we have been experimenting with are coming in with a light to medium body, a slightly higher caffeine content, and much earthier tones to its flavor.  It's less fruity and closer to cocoa than coffees produced further south.  Its a good thing mocha is fairly popular in Kalistan, as these beans will certainly produce coffees that are complimented well by chocolate."

Martini and others believe that within 10 years, Kalistan will have a profitable coffee industry that is diversified enough to maintain an entire infrastructure.  "At this particular moment, private money is flowing into the region," said Martini, who himself made his money through shrewd investment in both tech and commodities trading.  "I don't imagine this will be the case for long though.  Once we start making a profit, you will see some consolidation.  With House Ananto in the game now, coffee producers in Suldanor have a real chance to succeed."

"Kalistan is a nation of coffee drinkers," said Martini.  "It's time we started growing our own crops."

@LaModa

[Doc]

Kalistani News in Brief: Kauffman's New Fab 5 Unveiled
Empire named "Freest Nation in Terra"; Crown Prince returns from National Service
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
August 1, 5665


Kauffman Models after Winter Season show in Sulari, From Left to Right Connor, Bauer, Jones, Jimenez and King

Kauffman's new Fab 5 Unveiled
The new bevy of models from Kauffman Model Agency previewed Del Valle's Winter collection this week in Sulari, as part of the Del Valle Annual Show, a prelude to the Sulari Fashion Exposition in September. The new models, all new faces to the Modeling scene walked the runway showing the various dresses, accessories and shoes from the Del Valle winter line. Kaliburg's Jennifer Connor, one of the new models said "This is an amazing way to start in a career. The girls and I all grew up watching the Originals, that's what we call them, and we kind of agreed that we would like to do the same thing, kinda stick together, look out for one another, that kind of thing."

Juana Jimenez, from Sulari explained, "When I finished National Service and went back into modelling, Kauffman scouted me from a local show. I was completely floored by the offer, and then they put us all together, and let us do the show, and now, somehow we're the new face of Kalistani Fashion. It's all so unbelievable." Allie King, a former beach volleyball player from Dana said, "One day I am setting up my partner in womens' doubles, and the next minute, here I am on the runway in Sulari. It really is a dream come true."

The most experienced models, Kaliburg's Markie Jones and the Dundorfian transplant Greta Bauer both modeled products in their teens: Jones was known as the spokesgirl for Clear, a skin cleanser for young women, and Bauer modeled young adult clothing for Del Valle until she was 19. "I was already being represented by Kauffman when I went into National Service," said Jones. "So it was easy for me to get back into this for me. I know Greta had a lot of the same experience." The Fab 5 are set to do several photoshoots around Kalistan this fall, and many of them will appear in ads together before the Spring Show in October.

Empire declared "Freest Nation in Terra"
The think tank known as Global Perspectives has declared the Empire of Ananto and Kalistan to be the "Freest Nation in Terra." This designation comes after an exhaustive analysis of regimes based on civil rights and civil liberties protections as well as political rights. Kalistan received the highest overall score for freedom due to high levels of "personal freedom, economic liberties, and access to democracy."

"Kalsitan edged out a number of even liberal states primarily because civil rights and civil liberties are universal across the nation and are protected in law," said the brief, written by Dr. Morris Walters of Baltusia and Dr. Yuki Shimoda of Seko, who is president of Global Perspectives and study leader. "Somethings we considered was liberties for all people, not just particular segments, as well as economic equality, workers' rights, gender equality, access to basic services, access to economic opportunity, access to government, especially at local levels where that access can be substantive, freedom from unnecessary or oppressive state intervention and access to free political and civil institutions like an independent press and independent court system."

The only major issues noted by the report was lack of access to the highest levels of Government, and lack of a free market. "But when you consider the effects these have on the health, well being and happiness of the society, Kalistan more than makes up for it with virtually direct non-partisan democracy for the vast majority of the population in City Governments, lack of incarceration for all but the most serious crimes, universal basic income and a host of other metrics. And unlike some other nations, those rights and liberties are extended to all people in the Empire, not just a particular segment of the population."

Crown Prince Returns from National Service
His Highness Crown Prince Fredrick Ananto-Collins has left National Service, and is expected to take a townhome in Kaliburg. He will attend Kaliburg Polytechnic, where he will enroll in the Marcroeconomics Department. "The Crown Prince served his nation as a cook in the NSP," said the Empress' spokeswoman Lady Marian Southern at a press brief. "When he attends college to learn macro-economics, he will also begin training with Her Imperial Majesty in Kaliburg in public administration and justice." The Imperial Apprenticeship, which is traditional for heirs to the throne will last for at least four years, but likely longer, until both the current Empress and the Crown Prince feel that the heir is ready to take power.

"His Highness the Crown Prince is also expected to take a home in Dahriel, to maintain residence as Count of Dah," said Lady Southern. "He is expected to spend part of the year in the County where he will hold court with his Barons and will adjudicate disputes within the county. This will be excellent first hand practice when his duties include doing the same for the entire Empire." The Crown Prince may hold residence in Dah County as often as he likes, but residences will likely take place during the summer months, when School is not in session. The apprenticeship will require Her Imperial Majesty to likewise curtail her residencies as well until abdication and retirement.

Her Highness, Princess Nicolette Ananto-Collins is already in National Service, having been mustered into the Ananto Corps in June following High School Graduation. Before leaving for National Service, she was able to score an overall victory in the Sunset Beach surfing competition.

@TheRepublic

[Doc]

Crown Prince Says he will not wear Hulanevek Diamond
Joins a growing community expressing belief that gem is cursed
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
September 9, 5665


The Hulanevek Diamond, last seen on the Forehead of Her Imperial Majesty in 5562

His Highness, The Crown Prince Fredrick Ananto-Collins, in a casual discussion with style reporters concerning his return to civilian life, said he will not wear the Hulanevek Diamond at any point during his reign. "Oh yeah, it's cursed. Everyone knows that..." he said candidly to reporters. "That gem may only be worn with impunity by a woman. Any man who wears it does so at his own mortal peril. No, I'm not even going to touch that thing. It's just going to stay right where it is at. I know too much about it." The statement sent researchers scrambling for information to back up that claim, and to the surprise of the researchers, that seems to be a fairly common view held by many.

As a matter of fact, it was believed to be subject to a non specific curse as late as 5591 when Kalistan had the gem verified by Yeudi culture specialists. The Republic itself wrote about the fact that it was believed to be cursed. When the new, jewel inlaid Imperial Seat was unveiled in 5651, it was reported that Her Imperial Majesty herself believed the diamond to be cursed and then rumors of the curse were repeated once more in the press 11 years later, when Her Imperial Majesty wore the diamond to the National Opera. Clearly, at least the Royal Family believes it to be cursed, so we wondered why they might believe that.

Apparently, belief in a curse on the diamond stretches back at least since the diamond's arrival in Kalistan. We asked Professor Ronald ben Ari, professor of Yeudi Studies at University of Suldanor if he had ever heard of a curse on the diamond. "Well," said the professor, "very little is actually known about the diamond or its sister stones. We do believe they were crafted around 6000 years ago by a legendary figure named Elior in what is now called Amudim. These gems were laid in a crown worn by someone named Ismael I, who it turns out was also legendary, until they were prized out of the crown by a thief and distributed to the four corners of Terra. After that, the story gets a bit murky."

The gems then began resurfacing several hundred years ago, and one made its way from Kundrati, when it was still a a republic, and was given by the Hulaneveks of Kundrati to Pavlina Hulanevek as a wedding present for her daughter Carolina. It was believed that it was handed over for safe keeping, but not long after the transfer, Kundrati fell to fascism, and it turned out that bringing the diamond to Kalistan had been a wise move on the part of the Hulaneveks, as it is highly likely that the Legion would have sold the diamond for incalculable sums of money to fund their war machine. "Its possible that bringing the diamond to Kalistan saved a lot of Kalistani lives in the wars which would begin soon after the transfer," said Dr. Ben Ari.

And the diamond has been in Kalistan ever since. But this still did not get to our question about historical evidence of a curse on the stone. "Who can say about a curse," said the Professor. "I mean. Let's be reasonable. We live in the 57th Century. And yet people still believe that if you break a mirror or walk under a ladder or pick up a centavo on the ground, you can change your luck. It's ridiculous, but for those who believe it, it changes their behavior: So if they act like there is a curse on the stone, there will be a curse on the stone, and they won't wear or, or display it, or do anything with it. Does that mean there is an objective curse on the stone though? I mean, how can we even measure it?"

The Crown Prince was asked why he believes there is a curse on the stone, and he answered, "Its obvious, isn't it? My mother wore it, my great grandmother wore it, and nothing bad has happened to them. And my grandfather wore it, and he died tragically in a plane crash. So... You tell me how there is NOT a curse on the stone." To some degree, though this study has an unreliably small sample size, what the Crown Prince said is historically accurate. He said he does not intend to find out whether it works that way for him. "I don't need to test a curse to see if it works," said the Crown Prince.

Curse or not, the Crown Prince says he has no intention of ever returning the diamond. "For starters, it belongs to my mother," said Crown Prince Fredrick. "It's not mine to return. But when it is, I will return it over my own dead body. Kundrati will never see that diamond in Artania again. This is a matter of national pride, and I would sooner crush it into dust and sprinkle it into the Ananto Strait than return it to Kundrati." Asked what about the Yeudi people in Beiteynu, the Crown Prince smiled: "We didn't get it from Beiteynu, did we?"

The Crown Prince dismissed the discussion about the cursed Hulanevek Diamond deftly: "Her [The Empress'] gem vault contains so many gems, I am certain I could pick fifteen gems right now of at least as good clarity and perfection as the Hulanevek Diamond, have them cut into stones that are fit for a Kalistani Emperor and wear them around. But amethyst will feature heavily in my regalia, not diamonds. It is a much more regal color and far more suitable. On the other hand, I am not my mother either. Less is more, in my opinion. I will leave the adornment for my Consort, whomever that may be." This deflection took the conversation away from the Diamond, and onto the Crown Prince's dating life, (apparently he began officially dating a supermodel recently).

As Professor Ben Ari noted, as long as the Anantos believe there is a curse on the stone, which prevents men from wearing it, male Anantos will not wear it. Apparently, whether a lot of people know about this curse or not, those who do know about it aim to treat it as if it is cursed, and so, when Mary abdicates and the Gem horde goes to Fredrick, it will be a very long time before we see the diamond in public again.

@LaModa

[Doc]

Kalistani News in Brief: Crown Prince is engaged
Early Reports of Navy Review released; Controversial Kundrati War Movie to be released
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
October 7, 5665


Crown Prince announces engagement to Supermodel Jennifer Connor in Eveari

Crown Prince is Engaged
His Highness the Crown Prince Fredrick Ananto-Collins, who will turn 23 in December, has announced his engagement to Jennifer Connor of Kaliburg, one of the so-called "Fab 5" Kauffman supermodels. The news caught crown watchers by surprise and created a flurry of action among the royal tabloid press. "His Highness served with Ms. Connor during their time in the National Service," said crown reporter Ben Afton for La Moda. "Ms. Connor is about five months the Crown Prince's senior, and therefore entered the NSP a year before His Highness. They both served as cooks while in the service and apparently started a romantic relationship while in the service."

The news apparently did not surprise the Royal family at all. "Ms. Connor is well known to Her Imperial Majesty the Empress Mary I Ananto," said Afton. "The announcement was made in Eveari, and Her Imperial Majesty, along with the Lady Companion Victoria Jensen, and Count Martin Collins of Sulari County, the Crown Prince's father, all attended to party." Ms. Connor's parents and older sister Jill were also present at the event, and reportedly enjoyed meeting Her Imperial Majesty.

Afton said the couple has set a date of August 1, 5668 for the wedding. This will allow the Prince to work his way through most of College, and begin his Imperial training, and will allow Ms. Connor to continue to pursue her career before being married. It is expected that the two will acquire a home together in Kaliburg within a year. "Marriage into the Royal Family incurs a lot of responsibilities which will make it difficult for Ms. Connor to continue her career and her contract responsibilities,” said Anton. “So the couple will cohabitate for a few years, and then tie the knot.”

Early Reports of Navy Review released
The earliest reports of the Review of the Imperial Regular Navy have been released upon Her Imperial Majesty's Orders. The Ministry of Defense provided preliminary overview of readiness, per fleet. They have found that the 1st Fleet, stationed at Port Swedes and patrolling the waters between Kalistan Proper and Keris is the most combat ready of all four regular fleets, with a combat readiness of 94%. The Third Fleet based at Bentasur is second with a readiness rating of 89 Percent, the Fourth Fleet at Bozo River achieved 85% readiness and the Second Fleet, based in Yoshimi is pulling up the rear with a readiness of 78%.

What this means is that of all the ships and crews available for front line duty should they be called up in 48 Hours, these percentages have passed their inspections with a rating of "ready" or above. Those ships and crews which failed these inspections have been ordered through remediation and reinspection by March.

Readiness was a top line figure, but more concerning for the Ministry was logistics and supply. Of all major Naval Bases that the Empire of Ananto and Kalistan maintains, Bentasur in Gaduridos is by far the most expensive and most difficult to supply from Naval Stocks. "Bentasur is a significant liability for the Naval Budget," concludes the summary. "If Kalistan intends to maintain its outpost in Bentasur, there has to be a more efficient sourcing and logistical supply for the base. Kalistan imports most of the supply into the base from the Empire itself. In order to maintain the base, we will need to begin sourcing closer to the base. Continued Gaduri ambivalence toward Bentasur could lead to the dismantling of the base entirely."

The full report is due next summer, but additional releases can be expected in the coming months. No recommendations will be released until the full report is released.

Controversial Kundrati War Movie to be released
Republican Pictures will release a movie in October with the title translated into Vrassan as "Our Homeland." This movie, which has Kundrati descended actors speaking in Delic and subtitled in Vrassan, attempts to tell the story of the Kundrati War from the point of view of three generations of one Kasaema family Đuričić. The film attempts to explain through the art of fictional and artistic license, the collapse of a modern, liberal democratic state into abject fascism, dystopia and disaster.

The film has already drawn significant criticism from Nationalist critics in Kalistan. "This film is an outrage," said The Kalsitani Republic's primary film columnist Arthur Dickenson. "Not only does it attempt to humanize those in Kundrati who willingly turned against the old order and toward a fascist dictator known only for horrendous atrocities, war crimes and destruction, it also makes an effort to apologize for that sort of behavior, and at the end represents a thesis that this sort of descent into nationwide malevolence such as we have seen in Kundrati was not only a natural thing, but is possible for anyone." Others have praised its realism, but were upset that it presents Kalistan in a bad light. "No greater piece of Kundrati propaganda could have possibly been produced outside of that dark state itself," said La Moda's Mary Anne Douglas.

Despite the harsh public criticism, Republican Pictures stands by film and says it is honest and it is well made. Most of the cast are Delic-speaking Kundrati refugees who were able to escape from fascist Kundrati and have been living abroad since late last century. As a war movie, there are surprisingly few actual battle scenes in the movie: Much of the conflict is internal, within the family and within the individuals in that family themselves. The film was shot primarily in Endralon and Kirlawa to approximate the landscape of Kundrati and Kasaema. Film Maker and screen writer Milić Jakić, who is himself a descendant of a family of Kundrati Refugees who fled to Kalistan before the war to escape the grim terror of the Bronislav Regime, worked with Kaliburg Director Jerry Delgado to present what he calls a "sensitive and balanced" film that tells a point of view that has never been dealt with in Kalistan before. The film cost more than ₭25 million Imperial Rubles to make.

"My family was one of the few lucky families who escaped during the civil war," said Jakić. "But I wanted to show that there were a lot of families who were seduced by a lot of things, easily tricked and eventually found themselves caught in a trap that they could not escape from. At its core, this film is an anti-war film more than anything. There was nothing honorable about what happened in Kundrati, but I also want to note that there wasn't a lot that was honorable about what was done to Kundrati either. It's important to note that the actions of the Government were not completely supported by the population, but I still have relatives there that are being kept there, meaning, if they try to leave they will be murdered, and at least some of them have more like acquiesced out of a need for peace-- its the only peace they have ever known was to just sort of go along with whatever the Government is doing, especially since they lack the power to ever do anything about it."

Several Veterans associations intend to boycott and protest screenings of the film.

@TheRepublic

[Doc]

Reed Jewelers Presents Empress with "Imperial Amethyst"
Largest single Amethyst Crystal found in cave in Davon Mountains, Ananto
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
April 3, 5666


Her Imperial Majesty holds "Imperial Amethyst" at Reed Jeweler in Kaliburg

The largest single amethyst crystal ever found in Kalistan was presented this week to Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Mary I Ananto at the headquarters of Reed Jeweler in Kaliburg. The amethyst was presented as a gift to Her Imperial Majesty by Lord William Reed, who holds the official title of "Imperial Jeweler" and is entitled a Baron in the Peerage due to his service to the Crown. The amethyst, weighing 27.3 pounds (12.4 Kg) was purchased by Lord Reed from three cave explorers who returned to Kaliburg after finding a massive geode in a cave in the Davon Mountains between Kaliburg and Dulnerstaad.

"Well, according to the hikers, the geode weighed more than 130 pounds" said Lord Reed, at the presentation ceremony in his store, "and would be very difficult to bring back whole due to the tightness of some of the spaces they needed to crawl through on their way back to the entrance, so they cracked it open right there in the cave and found several major crystals, the largest being what we have called 'The Imperial Crystal.' As we are no longer permitted to sell amethyst in Kalistan in a retail outlet, due to sumptuary laws, I have decided to donate this amethyst to Her Imperial Majesty's collection." Reed said he purchased the crystals from the hikers for more than ₭675,000 Imperial Rubles. "That was far under the going rate for the amount of carats in these gems, but it was a far better deal than they would have gotten from private dealers without ties to the Monarchy."

Reed says Her Imperial Majesty received the gift graciously, and visited the store to take possession of the gem stone. "Her Imperial Majesty gave brief remarks to my staff and whatever patrons were in the store, about the importance of amethyst to the Nation: the purple of a rich amethyst graces the Imperial Standard and has long been associated with the dark purple of a ripe wine grape, which of course has been the symbol of our state for eons," said Reed. "She spoke softly and carefully, and I would say reverently, as she received the crystal to add to her collection. I originally offered her to break the crystal down and make an entire collection of jewelry out of it, but she refused, and said she prefers to keep it raw and whole."

The gemstone will be transferred to the Imperial Jewelry Collection, where it will be displayed in the Amethyst Section along with other notable crystals. Her Imperial Majesty, seeking to pay for the gem, offered to have House Ananto purchase it outright, but Reed would not agree to any sum of money for it, so he instead suggested that House Ananto make a donation in his name to one of his preferred charities, Kaliburg's "Note for Note", which brings volunteers in singles, doubles or quartets, to sit with old people and play music for those who have lost their memory.

"I told the Empress that for those with dementia, hearing familiar music helps them recall specific times in their life and dwell in those memories, rather than spending their time confused and frightened. It gives them a bit of peace, and lets them meet masterful musical volunteers, who come in to play for them. It is a very good organization that brings joy and peace to the elderly who suffer from dementia." Her Imperial Majesty told Lady Helen Ananto to write a check for Note for Note in the amount of K1.4 Million Imperial in Reed's name.

"If I were to value the stone by the carat, I would put it at 1.2 Million," said Reed. "She gave that charity K200,000 more than what the stone was worth. She is so generous with her time and money, and I know that that will go a long way for that charity organization. So bless her for that care and generous spirit. Its why I love doing business with this Empress."

@TheRepublic

[Doc]

Chancellor of the Empire announces new Localization Initiative
Free Cities, Duchies and Gaduridos affected by new Law
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
May 7, 5666


Chancellor of the Empire, Lady Jennifer Alvarez-Miller speaking to reporters in Kaliburg

The Chancellor of the Empire, Lady Jennifer Alvarez-Miller announced today that a new law was passed in the National Assembly that aims to devolve infrastructure planning from the Central Government to Local Governments. "Her Imperial Majesty has come to the position that Localities and Duchies have a better understanding about what sort of infrastructure they need in their cities, towns and countryside than the National Government does," said the Chancellor. "Devolving some of these decisions to our local governments also takes some of the pressure off the centralized Government to make these decisions."

According to the Chancellor, the provisions of the Bill affect Free Cities most directly. "Free Cities may now develop their own infrastructure plans, and obtain assistance from the National Government in finding these efforts," said Lady Alvarez. "We will insist upon the following of best practices and will encourage utilization of public resources as much as is possible, but in the event those resources are not available, City Governments will also have limited ability to contract with the Private Sector to build public infrastructure." The Chancellor explained that this is a major change in policy, given the tendency of the private sector to always overcharge for labor, materials, and work performed, because they seek profit, rather than actual completion of a project. "Naturally all contracts with the private sector will be scrutinized for cost overages built into projects that are likely going to be directed toward profitability of the private firms, but generally speaking, the National Government will follow the judgement of the City Governments."

Duchies may also act similarly in constructing infrastructure for their towns and countrysides. "The vast majority of roads in Kalistan, such as they are, are unpaved," said the Chancellor. "We are looking at upwards of 70% of all miles of public roads are either hard pack or gravel surfaced. If a Duchy Government feels a black top or a concrete surface is warranted, they now have the authority to determine that. And like the cities, they can now contract private labor to accomplish these projects, assuming heavy oversight of spending into the private sector." Finally, these provisions are extended to Gaduri projects as well. "Gaduri infrastructure is also eligible for direct support from the National Government in its Imperial capacity," said the Chancellor. "We obviously cannot oversee that nation's infrastructure projects, but like Kalistani entities, they may apply for funding from Kalistan to build and maintain infrastructure, including roads, water ways, electric service, telecommunications structures, as well as capital infrastructure like railways, airports and port facilities."

The heart of the bill is the willingness of the National Government to fund these programs while only maintaining oversight on costs, but not the operational control or the planning of the rest of the project. "Kalistan's national resources are currently underutilized just because we have obliviated the need to provide services and pay for things that capitalism regretably makes necessary, things like supplimental health insurance for out of control medical costs, things like homeless centers and extra food assistance because people can't afford to just acquire food, things like this. And while we require the National Government to plan every little project in the Empire, it is an overwhelming task for the bureaucracy. Why not devolve the power and responsibility for those tasks to local and ducal governments, where they can be identified, and managed, a lot closer to the project itself, than leave it with the National Government. We can still pick up the cost or all approved projects, but we don't need to be responsible for planning every aspect of the project."

The new infrastructure localization plan will go into effect in September, and more than 12 significant infrastructure, including a new Metro Transit System in Sulari, including Light commuter rail from Dana to Yoshimi has been identified to date. More will certainly come in now that the bill is passed.

@TheRepublic