Lodamun

[imperialpearl]

Having previously suspended rocket launches from the Venfield Space Flight Centre following the disastrous situation surrounding the rogue Vera-2 rocket, the Lodamese Space Administration has lifted its moratorium on launches by giving final approval for two satellites to be deployed in orbit. As the investigation into the circumstances of the Vera-2 ‘rogue rocket’ incident had cleared the LSA and the SDA of wrongdoing, the former was quick to lift previous restrictions on launches, approving the launch of NavSat-1 and RedEye-1. NavSat-1 is the first of what the LSA hopes to be sixteen (16) satellites to be launched into orbit to form COSMO (Coordinated Orbital Satellite Mapping and Orientation), Lodamun’s domestically developed global navigation system. NavSat has been developed jointly between the LSA, the Lodamese Air Force and Burrell Systems Aerospace and has been designed to operate as part of a constellation of satellites. The satellite’s launch represents the beginning of the gradual process towards building out the constellation in LTO (Lower Terran Orbit) where, once completed, it will eliminate the need for Lodamun to rely on foreign global positioning/navigational satellite services. “I think the importance of NavSat-1’s launch cannot be understated. We have long expressed our hopes that COSMO can become operational such that we can reduce or completely eliminate our reliance on foreign systems, which have placed our nation at a unique disadvantage,” LSA Deputy Director Dr. Ralph Hoffman explained. 

RedEye-1’s launch, owing to its importance for Lodamese national security, occupied the greater share of the public’s attention. The Strategic Defence Agency (SDA), which had remained extremely tight-lipped on the broader details surrounding the satellite’s supposed capabilities, had a rare press conference at the latter end of the satellite’s launch at the agency’s headquarters in Kensington. There, SDA Director General Roland Kalecki explained the satellite would form the backbone of Lodamun’s ability to detect and track ballistic missiles launched throughout the globe. He reiterated that prior to the agency’s formation, Lodamun did not possess any conventional means of tracking ballistic missiles beyond what the radar systems connected to its anti-air batteries. He noted that amidst growing interest throughout the world with respect to nation fielding ballistic missiles (be they intermediate-range or intercontinental), it was important that Lodamun maintained a capacity to detect said weapons throughout their flight. “Although it is extremely useful to be able to detect these weapons from launch, it is even more useful to be able to track them as it provides us anti-ballistic missile batteries with the data-linked solutions needed to be more accurate, thus enhancing their chances of destroying these weapons.” Admiral Kalecki stated that RedEye-1 is but a small part of a much broader, long-term commitment by the SDA to negate the threat ballistic and hypersonic missiles pose to Lodamun and the broader Seleyan continent. Pointing to projects such as sea-borne X-band radar, he noted that Lodamun was building out a network capable of providing the Lodamese Armed Forces with enough information to respond to threats adequately.

[imperialpearl]

At a sitdown with the CEOs of Lodamun’s major automakers, President William Stedman alongside Secretary of the Treasury Dr Howard Strickland and Secretary of Commerce and Industry Anthony Harrell stated that for the Lodamese Government to even consider the idea of debt restructuring and financial assistance, the companies themselves would have to agree to a slue of conditions which interestingly includes selling off their non-automotive divisions and underperforming brands to national, regional and international buyers. The sitdown, which was attended by the CEO of the Lodamese Car Company (LCC), Corey Elliott; the CEO of Tyson Motors Scott Spencer; the CEO of Buffalo, Vance Conway; the CEO of Bronson, Isabella Davis and the CEO of Volt Brent Sheppard, was reminiscent of a similar debt restructuring sitdown between Lodamun’s automakers and the federal government under the Danvers Administration. Then-Secretary of the Treasury Dr Henry Martineau and Secretary of Commerce and Industry Kevin Burke negotiated an agreement among the automakers which saw the companies make concrete guarantees to improve the material conditions of employees in exchange for financial assistance, even as the bailout plan had been plastered as being broadly unpopular/controversial. 

Now, the automakers are against meeting to discuss the details of a similarly controversial bailout. According to Secretary Strickland, the administration was not interested in any discussions related to “grants” similar to what was done under the Danvers Administration. “In premising these discussions with the automakers, we made it extremely clear that we were not interested in talks of grants. Any money to be given to these companies will be in the form of loans, which will be subject to numerous conditions,” Strickland explained. Pryor CEO Corey Elliot revealed some of the stipulations the company had agreed to in exchange for an 8 billion LOD loan to restructure the company's operations. “We’ve agreed to abandon the work we’ve been doing to carve out a spot in the traditional combustion engine market alongside guaranteeing protections for workers, increasing investment in our conceptual electric brands and committing to 60% of domestic production,” Elliot explained.

President Stedman confirmed that the conditions as set out by the administration were such that they ensured the companies remained committed to core standards such as investment in research and development, avoiding unnecessary layoffs in order to “rescue the company” and committing to some degree of domestic production. “It can’t be that these companies are asking for the people’s money and should be allowed to do whatever they choose. The Lodamese people are extremely forgiving, but they often do not forget,” President Stedman said. In line with the administration’s broader industrial policy, Secretary Strickland confirmed that the FHIB (Federal Holdings and Investments Board) would be brought in to action one of the many conditions of the loans provided to the automakers. He noted that based on the case of loan, relative the company’s size, the government would in exchange maintain a shareholding equivalent to the loan itself and thus said shareholding would be managed by the federal government through the FHIB. “The nature of these agreements is such that we do not intend for public monies to be spent erroneously by these companies. In the spirit of transparency, accountability and value-for-money, the government established the FHIB, which has managed the government’s investments/holdings in private-sector enterprises for the benefit of the Lodamese people for decades,” Secretary Strickland explained. 

According to leaked documents from the negotiations between the President and the automakers, the shareholding the FHIB maintains in the various automakers was as follows: LCC- 15%, Tyson Motors - 8%, Buffalo - 12%, Bronson - 11%, and Volt - 21%. Without speaking to the percentages, Secretary Strickland stated that as the companies continue to show growth, the FHIB will be instructed by the Department of the Treasury to sell off portions of its shareholdings. “I would think that getting the government off your back and out of your board room, even though throughout these shareholdings we will remain as a non-voting shareholder, should be a perfect motivation for these companies to get their affairs in order.” President Stedman stated that failure to repay the loans by the companies could ultimately land them in serious trouble, as the loan agreements also stipulate that failure to repay loans could result in claims against the company’s assets. “Fail to repay the loans in the future, and I’m sure whoever is occupying Whitehall at the time will have no qualms in seizing company assets and selling them to the first bidder,” he concluded.

[GreekIdiot]

Amudim
Shipping executives seek out partners in northern hemisphere amidst ongoing disruptions in South Seleyan routes
October 5661
https://forum.prtcy.com/thread-3-post-8982.html#pid8982

[imperialpearl]

With the company at the openings of profitability amidst its uphill battle towards recapturing much of the market in the otherwise concentrated Nadiyan (formerly Trigunia) crude oil and natural gas market, one might have expected that by posting profits in the millions that said gains would have been reinvested into expanding the company’s physical infrastructure (plant and machinery). Yet, in a surprise announcement, Neftkomp has revealed that it would be committing some 40 million LOD (57 million rubles) to the construction of a threatre and library. The announcement came following the publishing of the company’s annual financial statements, wherein it was revealed that as a result of its operations in extraction and exportation alone, the company had posted some 500 million LOD, before taxation, in profits. At an impromptu press conference held at the company’s headquarters in Zarvosopol, Neftkomp CEO Denis Polyakov stated that although the company’s profit margins were comparatively smaller when compared to its larger, more established contemporaries in the market, it was nonetheless a clear sign that the company’s decisions up to that point were indeed the right ones. 

“There is no doubt that we could have done better and we continue to commit ourselves to doing so, but I think these numbers are, in a sense, vindication and confirmation of the fact that we have made the correct strategic decision up to this point,” Polyakov explained. Polyakov added that the company’s recent success was in part as a result of the dedication of the company’s employees, who he hailed as the ‘bedrock’ of a ‘slow revolution’ within the Nadiyan energy market. It had been previously reported that the company, as part of its broader obligations to CSR (corporate social responsibility), would establish a “culture fund”, which would be used to invest in cultural events and buildings throughout the country. At the very press conference, Polyakov revealed that the company had committed some 100 million of its profits to the company’s recently established “Heritage and Progress Fund”, of which 40 million would be committed to constructing a joint theatre and library building in Svitodar, a coastal satellite city near Zarvosopol.
 
The fund’s manager, Arina Menshchikova, spoke to its plans for the shared threatre/library space in a press release following Polyakov’s announcement. She noted that with assistance from local surveyors and the company itself, the fund was able to secure a sizeable plot of prime real estate near the city’s centre where the proposed development will be constructed. According to Menshchikova, the space which had been formerly occupied by a fish processing facility had been chosen for its centrality to the city’s main transportation hub. The master plan for the site, which had been jointly developed by StudioNadiya and Snezana Architects, would see the otherwise sizeable space be separated by two wings: a public, philanthropically-governed Library and a Theatre/Opera House. 

The proposed library wing features a multi-story space with large, ceiling-to-floor windows. Its interior would be decorated with various pieces of local, national and potentially international art. Menshchikova has revealed that the Fund is currently engaged with a local NGO, which would be responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the library. The proposed threatre/opera house wing would be constructed with a dark steel facade to signify the “black gold”, which had been so crucial in its construction. The master plan has proposed that the facility be able to seat around 750 persons and be designed with modularity in mind, such that it can host both live performances and cinematic screenings. Lodamese and Nadiyan companies are apparently being considered to helm the interior design of the theatre space, as Menshchikova stated that although the building’s exterior was largely modern/minimalist, the interior was preferred to be more lavish and ornate. Construction on the site is likely to begin in the coming months; however, Menshchikova has noted that such a timeline could be altered if consultations with the local community were to go on for an extended period of time.

[imperialpearl]

In what has been dubbed a major escalation in tensions in the otherwise peaceful region, a Lodamese Navy ship reportedly fired numerous warnings at a group of four Beiteynuese patrol boats after the vessels were making dangerous manoeuvres towards a Harrington Company ship being escorted through the Migrant’s Pass. At their weekly press conference at the Department of Defence building in Kensington, DoD Press Secretary Kenneth Crawford confirmed the situation after it had been reported in regional news channels. It has been reported in both Malivian and Amudim media that there had been an incident involving a Lodamese Navy ship and a squadron of missile boats from Beiteynu. Although the reporting did not provide specific details of the situation, it nonetheless caused significant uproar within the region as it had shattered the tenaciously held peace in the otherwise turbulent region. Crawford sought to clarify the details surrounding the situation, particularly related to what the DoD deemed as ‘fake news’, in the reporting that it had been the provocative actions of the Lodamese Navy ship that had been the cause for the entire situation. 

He noted that the vessel in question, the LCS-Freddie Jarvis, a littoral combat ship, had been on a routine escort of Harrington Company ships through the region. For the better part of the past three decades, the Harrington Company has been under strict orders to ignore the supposed ‘maritime barrier’ established by the then Selucian-led 3PF (3 Points Federation). As a result of this order, HC ships were to be escorted through the Migrant’s Pass out of precaution that they might have been targeted by bordering attempts by the then visible/present Selucian threat. Even though, by current estimates, the Selucian Navy does not operate in scale as it did then, cargo ships are still made to travel the tumultuous straits under the protection of a naval escort. “The LCS-Freedie Jarvis was conducting operations as part of our effort to ensure Harrington Company shipping remains uninterrupted through the region. These operations are not out of the ordinary, but have existed for decades on a rotating basis out of Naval Station Crockett, in Malivia,” Crawford explained.

A spokesperson for the Lodamese Navy present at the press conference, Commander Clarence Graham, spoke to the operational details of the encounter, attempting to provide additional clarity beyond Crawford’s statement. According to Commander Graham, the four missile boats approached the HC ship, the HC Loxhampton, from the south at high speeds, crossing the vessel’s bow and stern at some 1,000 yards (0.5 nm). Both the Loxhampton and the Freedie Jarvis had attempted to make contact with the vessels, hailing them on both civilian and military channels, but were seemingly ignored. “It ought to be restated that the Harrington Company is under no orders to submit itself to ‘inspections’, even if that was the intention of the missile boats,” he stated. The missile boats then proceeded to execute a flanking manoeuvre on both the Loxhampton and the Freedie Jarvis, wherein their missile hatches were opened.

“At that point, the Freedie Jarvis’ ECM room determined that although the vessels had opened their missile tubes, they were not seeking to obtain a firing solution on either vessel. Nonetheless, it represented a clear and present danger to the ship’s safety and the success of its core mission: to escort the Loxhampton through the Pass,” he added. “Four airburst warning rounds were fired from the Freedie Jarvis’ 57mm cannon above one of the vessels, which inadvertently damaged the vessel’s navigation radar and part of its superstructure.” Commander Graham noted that upon firing the warning shots, the crew was prepared to be fired upon, seeing that one of the four rounds had damaged one of the vessels. “At that point, the crew were prepared to destroy the vessels if it became clear that attempts were being made to gain a firing solution on either ship. I can confirm that such an escalation did not occur, as the vessels diverted their course.” He concluded. Although the Freedie Jarvis remained on heightened alert, it was ultimately able to complete its patrol, wherein it returned to Malivia after approaching Rapa Pile for the Loxhampton to conduct on its own into the Midway Canal.

PS Crawford stated that an internal review of the entire situation was underway within the Department of Defence, but also reiterated that patrols and escorts through the Pass would continue as usual. Marc Horne, a fellow at the Centre for Geostrategic Policy and Research, noted that the situation highlighted the inherent competition which comes with the ‘reactivation’ of the ‘usual suspects’ in the area. Pointing to the Narikaton and Darnussia’s return alongside a general shakeup within Beiteynu/Amudim, which made the missile boat patrols possible, he added that the abandonment of the true (N&D-led) 3PF structure and the assurances therein, skirmishes between those nations who have historically staked their interests in Migrant’s Pass would only intensify. It has been reported that since the incident, Azuron maritime patrol drones have been extremely active in the Migrant’s Pass alongside news of a maritime patrol aircraft being flown from Saridan to Malivia to augment existing efforts.

[imperialpearl]

Jackson Alternatives, the green economy section of the Newchester-based oil and gas giant Jackson Energy, has struck its first major agreement with Rangkyen Social Enterprise, as signs related to the potential “take off” of a vibrant manufacturing sector point to Xsampa. In a press statement issued earlier this week, the company’s CEO and President, Edgar Reeves, confirmed that following months of intense negotiations between Jackson Alternatives and Rangkyen, an agreement had been reached which will see the company not only shift a sizeable portion of its manufacturing potential into the nation but also import substantial quantities of solar panels from Rangkyen, the principal company connected to the agreement. Jackson Alternatives’ business has primarily focused on the green economy, particularly on advancing the Jackson Energy Group’s advances in areas related to biofuels, offshore and onshore wind and energy storage systems. It has been transitioned from an often forgotten section of the group’s subsidiaries and is now at the forefront of its operations as Jackson Energy gradually divests from the oil and gas business. With clear intentions of entering both the domestic and international solar energy market, the company has been gradually developing its “craft” with respect to the development and optimal use of solar panels. It had previously dedicated some 850 million LOD towards collaborations with domestic solar panel manufacturers as it hoped to benefit from national efforts to rebalance Lodamun’s energy mix with increased investment in green alternatives to natural gas and crude oil.

The proposed agreement has been dubbed significant according to numerous business and market analysts as they note its potential to accelerate the company’s efforts in securing a stable position within the domestic and international market. “What makes this agreement important is that it signals to the world that Jackson Energy is less focused on the manufacturing of solar panels and more focused on the development of solar power infrastructure. In basic terms, they want to be the people who deploy the panels, not manufacture them,” Melvin Hensley, a market analyst for PCH Carville, explained. Hensley further noted that the company was provided with a unique opportunity to avoid the often high capital costs and competitive pressure associated with panel manufacturing, thus enabling it to concentrate on high-value installation projects and long-term service contracts, where the company would be able to ‘make its name’. “There is a very big reason why we don’t hear about the manufacturers of solar panels as much as we hear about those responsible for deploying the technology. This deal by Jackson Alternates to import solar panels from Rangkyen in Xsampa is proof of its broader intentions to avoid the rat race,” Hensley added. Although the agreement points to this conclusion, it is ultimately tempered by the fact that the company maintains a domestically run solar panel manufacturing arm. Amidst the agreement, which would result in a reduction in production orders, company executives have stated that discussions related to a ‘winding down’ of solar panel production in Lodamun were ongoing and were being informed by the fact that, since its inception, the manufacturing arm has struggled to maintain profitability.

Nonetheless, the agreement forms part of a much wider realisation of the untapped potential of the Xsampan manufacturing sector by the Lodamese business community. The nation has been quietly managing a dramatic transformation in its manufacturing sector, based on the recommendations of the Pelkyi Report, a document which outlines a vision for the nation’s economy going into the coming decades/century. Seeking to become the “ethical workshop of the progressive world”, the nation has poured significant resources (pure capital investments and human capital investments) into modernising its industrial base, incubating infant industries, and gradually cultivating a reputation for sustainable, high-quality production. Although the Lodamese Government has traditionally supported nearshoring for Lodamese industry, wherein they establish crucial supply chains within the nation’s immediate environs, the Harrington Company has noted that it has never rejected the nation of ‘friendshoring’, establishing supply chains with nations that Lodamun considers to be friends and allies. Since Jackson Alternatives’ announcement, some Lodamese companies have expressed interest in establishing regional manufacturing hubs in Xsampa to take advantage of the nation’s burgeoning manufacturing sector, albeit following the Harrington Company’s assessment of the nation’s labour market, recognising the HC bars Lodamese firms from engaging in business with companies which operate sweatshops and other unethical labour practices.

[imperialpearl]

In a press call with potential investors and interested parties, Harrington Dynamics unveiled that it had begun research and development of a new long-range anti-ship cruise missile for the Lodamese Navy, with the hopes of replacing or augmenting the current Tomahawk and Harpoon anti-ship missiles, which have seen decades, if not centuries, of use. The weapon’s unveiling comes amidst renewed interest within the Department of Defence with respect to the development and subsequent deployment of advanced, long-range strike weapons as it contemplates a future wherein the Ldoamese Armed Forces is capable of launching deadly attacks from ever-increasing distances between targets. Although during the investor call, Harrington Dynamics only spoke to the weapon’s digital rendering, noting that it would, similar to the Azuron drone, possess an advanced sensors and systems suite, in a follow-up interview, an HD official stated that this extends to stealth and data-link capabilities. The official noted that the current stock of anti-ship missiles, although having proved themselves as capable pieces of equipment in short to medium-range engagements, where ultimately incapable of being ‘scaled up’ to become useful in long-range engagements. “I think the direction the DoD wants to go now is with long-range engagements; standoff munitions which would allow for the relevant branches to engage targets at a much greater distance than they would now,” the HD official explained. Harrington Dynamics’ design reportedly borrows numerous lessons from a testbed once developed by the Armed Forces Projects Agency (AFPA). This testbed, which had been known internally as the ASCMTD (Anti-Ship Cruise Missile Test Demonstrator), sought to test whether integrating numerous sub-systems including jam-resistant GPS/INS, an imaging infrared (IIR infrared homing) seeker with automatic scene/target matching recognition, data-link, passive electronic support measures (ESM), and radar warning receiver sensors, would be possible within a singular platform. The AFPA’s findings, which remain classified, seemed to have been shared with the engineers at Harrington Dynamics, as their proposed ‘Extended-Range Naval Strike Missile’ design borrows much from the ASCMTD, including its design. In speaking with experts on how a weapon of this nature could ultimately transform maritime strike engagements in the future, it was revealed that if Harrington Dynamics is capable of demonstrating that the munition can be deployed and ultimately fired/launched from varying platforms including ships and aircraft, it may bring a swift end to the navy’s use of the TASM (Tomahawk Anti-Ship Missile) as an intermediate range weapon. “If they [Harrington Dynamics] can demonstrate that this can be dropped from a Heron (B1-B Lancer) or any other aircraft or potentially launched from a VLS (vertical launch system) onboard a ship, it would make something like the TASM completely useless since it [the TSAM] acts as a stand-in for a dedicated long-range anti-ship missile,” Willis Harding, an analyst at the National Institute for Defence Research, explained. The company has noted that research and development on the platform is still ongoing, with significant work related to the munition’s supposed stealth profile and its network-centric capabilities to be completed.

[imperialpearl]

In another major escalation in tensions in the region, Lodamese Majatran Command (MAJCOM) has stated that it has destroyed an Amudimim military ship in the Migrant’s Pass in response to what they called ‘dangerous’ and ‘provocative’ manoeuvres around a Lodamese Navy submarine. In an emergency press statement issued earlier this morning, MAJCOM Commander Rear Admiral Edward Criswell explained that the Lodamese Navy had destroyed an Amudimim frigate in a brief engagement some nautical miles off the Amudimim EEZ. In the minutes following the engagement, when information coming from Malivia and Tel Bira was supposedly fresh, social media went array with varying stories. Some reported in a Lodamese Navy ship beyond destroyed by a coordinated attack, whilst others reported that a Lodamese Navy submarine had been forced to surface and subsequently destroyed. According to the MAJCOM statement, the LCS-Grouper, a Lodamese Navy attack submarine, had been partially crippled after it had set off a derelict seamine, causing damage to the craft’s propellers. As a result of the damage, the submarine was forced to surface, wherein it requested an escort back to Naval Station Crocket in Malivia. Although the statement did provide details related to the sea mine incident, it clarified that the submarine did not cross into Amudim’s maritime EEZ as initial media reports had suggested. A detachment of vessels from the naval station had been rotated to the submarine with the intention of tugging it to port in NS Crocket. The detachment, according to the MAJCOM statement, comprised two littoral combat ships, the LCS-Freedie Jarvis and the LCS-Allen Whitehead, a minesweeper, the LCS-Letitko and a tug boat. “Upon escorting the Grouper back to Naval Station Crocket, an Amudimim frigate, which both the Jarvis and the Whitehead had been tracking whilst enroute to the submarine, had ignored multiple warnings to maintain a sizeable 10 nautical mile distance from the convoy. Following additional warning, including numerous warning shots, the vessel was subsequently engaged by two anti-ship missiles fired from the Freedie Jarvis and the Allen Whitehead. One of the missiles struck the frigate in its magazine, which detonated,” the statement read.

The escalation is the newest in a series of engagements/skirmishes between the Amudimim and the Lodamese Navy, which initially began with the warning shots fired on a group of Amudimim missile boats by the Freedie Jarvis. Secretary of Defence Jeremy Whitelock expressed outrage at the incident as he noted that the engagement had been wholly avoidable. “The nature of communication on the high seas is two way street. To prevent miscalculations of this nature, it has always been practice that ships adhere to warnings and answer various attempts at communication. The highly unprofessional manner of Amudimim’s naval units has created the impetus for greater escalation in the region,” Secretary Whitelock said via a press statement. Amidst the chaos, some have questioned the rationale behind the presence of a Lodamese attack submarine in the area. An official from the DoD stated that such patrols predate the concept of “Amudim” and go back as far as the State of Beiteynu. “Lodamese Navy submarines are always patrolling various parts of the globe as part of freedom of navigation operations. The Grouper’s presence in the Migrant’s Pass is not out of the ordinary, as submarines of all nations often use the route to enter Dovani,” the DoD official explained. The MAJCOM statement confirmed that the Grouper had been successfully towed back to port in Malivia and is awaiting transfer back to Lodamun for repairs. Since the engagement and the vessel’s subsequent sinking, Naval Station Crocket has been under high alert with maritime patrol drones highly at higher altitudes and for a greater duration, whilst patrol craft have expanded their patrol zone well into international waters. The Harrington Company has stopped short of issuing a warning for Lodamese civilian maritime traffic traversing the region, instead providing recommendations for ships to maintain persistent contact with Lodamese Navy forces whilst traversing the strait.

[GreekIdiot]

Amudim
Kohav confirms incident in MP; navy ordered to stand-down as Himmelshtern scrambles to mend relations with... everyone
February 5665
https://forum.prtcy.com/thread-3-post-9163.html#pid9163

[imperialpearl]

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

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

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

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

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