Badara

[Drax]

MONSOON COURIER BEACON



MSO, MEA AND WC ISSUES

Bier Qassem, February 23, 4868: President Magdalena al-Jabbar took questions after a cabinet meeting on the Majatran Security Organization(MSO), the Majatran Economic Organization(MEA) and the World Congress:

We still believe the MSO can be a very important defensive alliance protecting the nations of Majatra. It is true our Minister of Justice, Dr. Selim al-Malik, became Secretary General for a five year term when the office rotated to us in 4855 and those scheduled to rotate in have not done so although it is thirteen years later. We realize there is other business to attend to and we do have a plan to correct this oversight.

With respect to the pharmacy wholesale network proposal in the MEA our current plan is to lure the chair into holding a vote. If that occurs, we expect three positive votes with the rest abstaining. We would then launch in Bier Qassem and contact each nation to discuss how the network will operate with respect to the Health ministry, pharmaceutical suppliers, manufacturers, pharmacies, prescribers and 3M in the particular country. Of course it may never come to a vote; we just do not know.

As the war rages in Rapa Pile between the Vascanian Empire and the Deltarian Federation and the destruction, casualties and losses mount, we can truly see the World Congress has little or no effect on the course of events. Many of us tried to avoid this but diplomacy was doomed from the beginning to fail. It is conceivable a plan sponsored by the Representative of Liore may offer a way for the two belligerents to escape the death grip in which they hold each other.

When asked if she would be a candidate for President in November 4868, she stated she would not.

[Drax]

MONSOON COURIER BEACON



RAS AL-ULIMA AIRPORT EXPANSION

Ras al-Ulima, June 14, 4869: Chancellor Selim Al-Malik and Infrastructure and Transport Minister Faisal Sharji met with functionaries of the Ministry, managers of the Ras al-Ulima International Airport Authority, and executives of Nashwa Air Lines (NAL) at the offices in the Airport of NAL to consider a loan through the Central Bank to finance improvements including additional terminals and more room for shop and restaurant concessions. NAL and the Airport Authority also proposed lengthening two of the runways to 4000 meters to accommodate larger passenger airliners which need longer runways than currently available.

After the meeting Dr. al-Malik announced the loan had been approved and construction should be able to begin in six months and continue over a five year period. Loan closing will be handled by Aziz, al-Akim, Wallenstein, al-Sharif and Vasilevskii.

[Drax]

MONSOON COURIER BEACON



ARE WE SOCIALIST OR CAPITALIST?

Bier Qassem, November 3, 4869: After, Hizb Muasisiun introduced an economic adjustment bill in the Majlis, Dr. Selim al-Malik, the Chancellor, addressed questions from the press on whether Jumhuriat al-Badara is socialist or capitalist, neither or both:

Kind of doubt if any state, tribe or gang is wholly one or the other at this point. We were very close to wholly sociaist under People’s Democracy dominance. Then under Free Radicals people could borrow money from Central Bank to buy or start a business. But some businesses never were purchased. So here and there there are segments of the economy where public ownership still exists. That is why thyroid medicine is all still produced at government owned factories.

But that plant is a notable exception. Most businesses are privately owned. There is really only one area to which Hizb Muasisiun is committed to keeping the ownership in the People of the nation as a whole. That is the oil reserves. That is why Hizb Muasisiun and the Libertarian Party came to a parting of the ways. The Libertarians wanted the oil reserves sold off to private owners. In fairness, this was a matter of ideological purity for them. For us it was simply fundamentally bad economics exposing us to future foreign exploitation and augmenting our already swollen oligarchy.

To be clear, the nation owns the oil reserves. At one point long ago internnational ownershhip of some of it was permitted but subsequently nationalized. We are aware of only one claimant, an international corporation, asserting ownership of Badaran oil without it seems any known evidence. At least so far.

PDB operates oil and natural gas extraction and sale as a government owned corporation. Additionally, leases permitting oil and gas extraction are available to domestic business interests. Lease application is made through Central Bank offices acting on behalf of the Ministry of Trade and Industry. Leasing rates and royalties are entirely reasonable.

What of foreign ivestment? Under our law, ownership of domestic businesses by foreign interests is allowed up to less than a majority interest.

So, free trade agreements with some 22 nations allow purchase of our oil and gas. Citizens or businesses of three nations, one foreign government entity and one international corporation are specically permitted to invest in Badaran businesses including oil and gas leasing, extraction and sale but not in PDB or in the underlying oil reserves. That is how we are committed to keeping it.

[Drax]

MONSOON COURIER BEACON


President Salman Duqaq

PRESIDENT TALKS ECONOMY

Bier Qassem, December 23, 4869: After meeting with the Cabinet, President Salman Duqaq issued the following statement

It appears the Rapa Pile War has a cease fire and possible peace talks which may well include representatives of Rapa Pile and the World Congress which could start to commence to begin to give some hope for recovery to Rapa Pile and possibly even some fulfilment of their own preferences for their political destiny. It could happen.

We do need to prepare for possible economic consequences of the war. One likelihood is the former belligerents will quickly rush to rebuild their armed forces after consuming soldiers, sailors, vessels, vehicles and equipment in their war. In the case of the Vascanian Empire, there will be a temptation to increase oil production to pay for restoring its military losses. Not a bad move if it is gradual but if paranoia rules then an oil glut would likely occur and the overproduction be a failure since the oil proceeds would fall with the oil price and be inadequate to cover military expenditures.

As you know, the Petroleum Development of Badara(PDB) state owned corporation could decrease production likely in conjunction with Qat Oil Services(QOS) and other producers to mitigate this overproduction from Vascania. PDB is operated to insure there will be crude oil to meet the needs of Jumhuriat al-Badara and could seriously reduce its production if necessary. Our overall production at the moment is greater than normal but the barrels per day could be reduced considerably without damaging us. The question for us would be are we willing to adjust our production to keep the price up and help Vascania rearm. We may well have to make that choice,

Both the Deltarian Federation and Vascanian Empire will consider raising taxes or diverting their other appropriations into military expenditures to quickly rearm. Either measure is likely to cause stock market investors to flee in terror (that is their way when not boldly going where no woman or man has gone before). Should this measure be taken by Federace Deltarska, all Terra will likely again experience a Deltarian created down turn.

Should this occur as it well may, we will have two main goals. First, maintaining the safety net of payments for those losing their jobs and insuring rent and health care benefits remain in place. This we will do.

Second, just because businesses are in trouble does not mean they have to fail. We have funds available both in appropriations and in reserve funds from surpluses for loans and some grants to any operation that can be saved by an injection of funds.

So we are ready but the ride may well be rough. It of course would be nice if the former belligerents would take a breather, wait to rebuild but only maintain their military, channel their excess spending for war into other government expenditures and promote their general economic welfare. That is not the way of Terra. So it goes.

[Drax]

MONSOON COURIER BEACON


Finance Minister Magdalena al-Jabbar

FINANCE MINISTER SUGGESTS GUARDS AGAINST ECONOMIC DOWNTURN

Bier Qassem, June 23, 4870: After meeting with Health and Social Services Minister Yasser al-Mirza and his senior staff about the possibility of a Majatran Pharmaceutical Network, Finance Minister Magdalena al-Jabbar today responded to questions about the comments of President Salman Duqaq concerning a possible downturn in the economy which could be created:

Certainly I agree with the President. I believe two additional matters are worth considering. First, if the Majatran Economic Association does actually create the Majatran Pharmaceutical Network (MPN), this will be a safeguard in Majatra should More Medicaments Manufactures (3M) again become irregular in output and delivery and communication which contributed to economic uncertainty. We buy from 3M but are not dependent upon it. Majatra can be in the same position.

Second, the President and I have discussed one possible course of action Federace Deltarska may take which may not have the adverse effect of some other courses of action. Federace Deltarska has experimented with deficit financing. We are strongly against this practice for Jumhuriat al-Badara but recognize it is quite possible that by running heavily into debt Deltaria could rearm quickly and expend funds for the benefit of defense contractors without increasing taxation or diverting funds from other programs. Not something we would want to try but it is possible it would work for them.

[Drax]

MONSOON COURIER BEACON


Finance Minister Magdalena al-Jabbar

MAJATRAN PHARMACEUTICAL NETWORK

Ras el-Haram, May 23, 4874: After meeting with the Board of Directors of Marakesh Digital in the Conference Center of the Dromedary Resort Hotel and Casino, Finance Minister Magdalena al-Jabbar and Health and Social Services Minister Yasser al- Mirza announced that as the delegate to the Majatran Economic Association (MEA) charged with setting up the Majatran Pharmaceutical Network (MPN), the Finance Minister had employed Marakesh Digital as the management company establishing MPN operations with Khalid al-Nayan in charge as Administrator.

Jumhuriat al-Badara is putting up 5 billion LOD from the budget reserve to start operations. The MEA has named for the time being Jumhuriat al-Badara to operate the MPN whose temporary headquarters will be Bier Qassem. The MEA will operate as the board of directors but shares of common stock are to be sold on stock exchanges. MEA members or other Majatran nations lending initial operating funds will receive preferred stock. The MEA has the authority to transfer control of this international corporation to another body or to allow holders of common shares to vote on the board should in the future either of these decisions be made.

The purpose is twofold. First, in the event of any future economic down turn to prevent a failed pharmacy supplier cutting off dependent pharmacies from access to prescription drugs including any weakening of More Medicaments Manufactures (3M) should that happen. Second, in the times of prosperity provide expanded markets to drug producers. An example is cholesterol medicine for which it is hard to find the correct dosage and which have side effects. If some manufacturer in Majatra solves either of these problems consistently it would have quite a market in Badara.

Placing prescription drugs for sale with MPN may be done by manufacturers, wholesale drug suppliers, or Health Ministries. Orders for drugs may be placed by pharmacies, pharmacy suppliers, or Health Ministries. MPN will be taking orders and arranging supplies by websites, telephone bank and in person office visits. MPN will be setting up connections by rail, air, ship and mail as appropriate. Warehousing will be necessary and at first outright purchases by MPN. Although individual business entities may contact MPN direct, nations may prefer to at least initially channel all activity through Health Ministries to minimize interface difficulties. The Ministry of Heath and Social Services will coordinate all initial business of Jumhuriat al-Badara with MPN.

MPN has made arrangements with 3M for its products to be available through MPN much in the manner as its arrangement with Jumhuriat al-Badara.

[Drax]

MONSOON COURIER BEACON


Defense Minister Hakim al-Afdal

SAM BATTERIES UPGRADED

Defense Command Headquarters, May 14, 4876: Defense Minister Hakim al-Afdal announced that the surface to air missile batteries that were in the Ahmadi Armed Forces Strategical Forces are now listed in the Army budget while the fixed site missiles of the Ahmadi Armed Forces Strategical Forces are now in the Air Force budget.

Ground Forces Weaponry working with subcontractors Udayl Gunnery, Al’Fostat Specialty Steel and Marakesh Digital has produced a surface to air missile system, the GFW MIM- 104 D system to replace the MIM 23 system currently in use by much of the Army. The GFW MIM-104 D surface to air missile system can be used against aircraft and incoming missiles.

SAM battalions of about 600 personnel headed by a lieutenant colonel includes a headquarters battery (which includes the operators of the Information Coordination Central (ICC) , a command station for control of the missiles of the entire battalion), a maintenance company and four to six line batteries with the actual missile launchers. A line battery of 70 to 90 personnel commanded by a captain has about about six launcher vehicles, a fire control platoon, a headquarters/maintenance platoon, and a launcher platoon.

The expectation is the battalion ICC will be used to coordinate fire of the entire battalion; however, the same hardware is present for coordination of fire at the battery level. The launcher is a mobile four round semi trailer. The range is 96 – 160 km against aircraft and 20 km against in coming missiles. The missile itself is of the blast/fragmentation variety with a fuse optimized for use against ballistic missiles.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MIM-104_Patriot

[Drax]

MONSOON COURIER BEACON


President Selim al-Malik

MINING SAFETY ADDRESSED

Bier Qassem, December 3, 4877: After meeting with the Cabinet, the President, Dr. Selim al-Malik, indicated several decisions had been reached about gold mining and issued the following statement:

As you know we have been quite strict to the point of prohibitive on occasion about open pit mining. We require many environmental protections as well as full restoration so many would be entrepreneurs do not see how to make a profit without taking what they want and leaving the Sovereign People to clean up their mess. So they stay away.

We have some underground mining in the mountains most notably iron and some gold. It is true that a good deal of our gold is actually by product gold from mining other minerals but we have some gold mines. And recently we have had three cave in accidents causing the loss of thirteen lives in gold mines. It appears negligence in geological surveying and architectural and engineering errors may have led to these accidents. Civil and criminal courts are sorting this out as we speak.

What we addressed today is our own responsibility; frankly we have been very concerned about environmental impact and left safety of mine workers to unions and management. This has to change. The Cabinet is united in believing henceforth mine safety standards must be set and enforced by the Ministry of Trade and Industry. We will be receiving invaluable help from the Engineering Department of the National Institute of Technology where many of the long standing advocates of such regulations are employed.

As you can imagine, there is a problem. We are not concerned about possible opposition but recognize that hard rock gold mining by underground mines may cease to be profitable. Make no mistake, we need some gold and we do not want unregulated open pit mining. Gold is invaluable in electrical connections for computers, infrared shielding and dentistry.

Accordingly, the Cabinet is committed to nationalizing hard rock gold underground mining if it ceases to be profitable to private investors because of safety regulations.

[Drax]

MONSOON COURIER BEACON


Defense Minister Hakim al-Afdal

HELICOPTERS FOR DEFENSE MINISTRY

Defense Command Headquarters, August 14, 4878: Defense Minister Hakim al-Afdal indicated that the Defense Ministry would be purchasing fifteen NDN UH – 1Y utility helicopters for the Navy. The Navy has been very impressed by the service of those used by the Ministry of Internal Affairs to protect the white oryx in the Hala Ali Desert. Five would be assigned to each of the three task forces whose home ports are Ras El-Haram, Dar as-Salam and Ras al-Ulima.

Further New Dawn Nashwa is developing, with the help of the Engineering Department of the National Institute of Technology, a heavy lift helicopter, the CH – 53E, and the Defense Ministry will be purchasing thirty which will be stationed with the 3rd Motorized Infantry Division outside Al-Kamelah.

When asked if there will be other upgrading, the Defense Minister responded:

Certainly. Over time. Think our submarines may be next. And no, they will not be replaced with nuclear powered subs. We need some submarines for patrolling; we do not need to go deep into Dovani or to far off continents to launch missiles with nuclear warheads. Conventional power will do quite nicely for our purposes.

The NDN UH – 1Y is a twin engine medium sized helicopter with increased engine power over predecessor models. It can be used for command and control, search and rescue, close air support, medical evacuation, reconnaissance, escort and troop transport. It has a crew of two and can carry up to 3.201 tons of cargo. The UH - 1Y can carry ten 10 passengers or 6 litter borne evacuees. It has a maximum speed of 182 mph and a ceiling of 20,000 feet and is armed with rockets, machine guns and a gatling gun.

The NDN CH – 53E is being developed over the next three years by New Dawn Nashwa with the help of the National Institute of Technology Engineering Department for heavy lift duties with a third engine added to the two in its predecessors as well as a more powerful rotor system with titanium fiberglass composite rotor blades. It will carry 55 troops or 30,000 lbs. of cargo. It will be armed with three machine guns and decoy chaff dispensers. It has a maximum speed of 170 mph and a service ceiling of 18,500 ft.




https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q ... L5IrValh3S

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sikorsky_ ... r_Stallion

[jamescfm]

Newly reorganised AldeGas steps up oil and gas production