Saridan

National news threads that host the key national news outlets for each of the game’s countries.

Re: Saridan

Postby imperialpearl » Thu Jul 22, 2021 4:12 pm

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With the Federal Minister of Infrastructure and Transport acting as a neutral mediator, the Stadtholders of Kaap, Sint Pietereiland and Tasselstaat signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the establishment of a common agreement on maritime transport between Sint Pietereiland and the aforementioned mainland provinces. The agreement, according to Federal Minister of Infrastructure and Transport André De Waal, would see the formal establishment of a ferry service between Sint Pietereiland and the mainland, ensuring Sint Pietereiland remains connected to the national economy and kick-starting the federal government's promise to assist Sint Pietereiland's government in developing opportunities in the blue economy. "The proposed ferry service would lend itself to greater economic benefit not just for the economies of the Sint Pietereiland, Kaap and Tasselstaat but the wider national economy. Through this proposed ferry service, persons wouldn't have to pay overpriced airline tickets to get onto the island but would have the option to take a ferry (along with their car) in what we believe is going to be an extremely seamless flow of traffic." Minister De Waal said in an interview following the event. "It is important to note that this MoU did not appear out of nowhere. We have been in deep consultations with the three provinces since we entered government and it also plays into our restructuring of the national economy." the Minister concluded. Stadtholder of Sint Pietereiland, Aitan Van Der Walt stated that the memorandum of understanding signals the commencement of the province's ambitious plans to develop the blue economy. Mr. Van Der Walt explained that the Sint Pietereiland Government has been seeking to expand the province's economy to take complete advantage of the archipelagic nature of Saridan, noting that the province was uniquely positioned to take advantage of maritime traffic exiting the Sea of Lost Souls and the Majatran Ocean and exiting the Aldegar Canal. Speaking to the specifics of the proposed ferry service, Van Der Walt stated that the three provincial governments had come to the conclusion that a singular company should be established with a board comprising of persons appointed by the three provincial governments, with a profit-sharing agreement established from the offset. "The question of private sector involvement remains something which the three governments intend on looking at in the future, however at this point in time, the intention to have the ferry service anchored as a joint-stock company with a profit-sharing agreement and the three provincial finance ministers acting as body corporate.
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Re: Saridan

Postby imperialpearl » Sat Jul 24, 2021 9:46 am

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The plight of small and medium-sized businesses has largely been ignored by successive governments as previous administrations focused primarily on the macroeconomic outlook of the economy, neglecting the microeconomic environment entirely. As small and medium-sized businesses continue to struggle amidst the new economic environment, Federal Minister of Trade and Industry Shakir Van Heerden announced that the government had established an independent state entity whose sole purpose shall be to foster growth in the business sector through financing arrangements, investment and in many cases consultancy/advice with a particular focus on small/medium-sized businesses. During his piloting of the Business Development Agency Minister Van Heerden noted that the Federal Ministry of Trade and Industry could no longer allow for the question of business development to remain confined to a directorate of the department but a new entity, independent of government interference must evolve to allow for small/medium-sized businesses to benefit from the same degrees of growth larger corporations saw under previous administrations. Minister Van Heerden argued that the government must maintain a presence in the national economy, explaining that proponents of the free market economy are often those who are either backed by or a part of larger, more established corporations. “Persons who advocate for little government intervention into the national economy are often those who rail against assistance to businesses in times of national uncertainty. The government intends on maintaining its foothold in the national economy through the Business Development Agency and other entities to come.” During the Senate debate over the legislation, Independent Senator and development economist Tianie Webber questioned whether the Business Development Agency would allow for persons operating in the informal economy to transition towards the formal economy as she noted the numerous attempts by previous administrations to rectify the issue of the informal economy. Minister Van Heerden explained that the BDA would allow for businesses operating in the informal economy to transition towards the formal economy noting that numerous government reforms particularly electronic transactions and e-commerce had been rolled out and operationalised in an anticipation of the bill’s introduction to the Parliament. “E-commerce platforms are allowing the informal economy to “formalize” and contribute to the growth of the wider economy. The Business Development Agency as the entity responsible for assisting small and medium-sized businesses to achieve sustainable growth moving into the new economy, will, of course, render considerable assistance to businesses in the informal economy as they remain an integral part of the government’s plan to eliminate the informal economy and allow for better paying, higher-quality jobs to be accessible to both nationals, migrants/refugees and naturalised migrants.
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Re: Saridan

Postby imperialpearl » Sat Jul 24, 2021 9:59 am

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Sint Pietereiland's government is seeking to rebrand the province as a major hub for the blue economy with the intention of enabling innovation in maritime services and aquaculture. At the inaugural conference of the Global Oceanic Forum, Stadtholder and Minister of Finance, Economic Affairs and Investment Aitan Van Der Walt revealed that the provincial government had been obtaining technical assistance from both the World Congress and the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications on re-establishing the roots of the province's economy into the blue economy. The move comes as provincial governments move to diversify their economies towards more sustainable models. In Ijkpieland, the provincial government is aggressively reorienting the local economy towards agriculture aiming to modernise historic agricultural practices with agriculture to allow for increased yields and efficiency; Tasselstaat's government is taking an ambitious dive into the green economy, seeking to transform the state as the second global hub for the green economy behind Lourenne; Kaap's government intends on establishing the province as a global manufacturing hub, placing it in direct competition with larger, more established economies on the continent; Boerestaat's government is investing heavily in research and development, setting the foundation for the province to become a global science hub through its integrated science and technology parks programme. The niche economic development remains a major cornerstone of the SLP's economic diversification model, as it seeks to allow for Saridan to become involved and in many cases to become a leading entity in major economic activities ranging from semiconductor development to the petrochemicals sector. Sint Pietereiland's pivot towards the blue economy represents a continuation of this model. Federal Minister of Economic Affairs and Communications, Dr Elani Witbooi stated that the federal government through a collaborative committee comprising of the Federal Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications and the Federal Ministry of Trade and Industry intends on working with Sint Pietereiland's government on establishing a federal blue economy policy aimed at establishing a series of regulations and standards to ensure that the future blue economy of Sint Pietereiland is capable of withstanding scrutiny and stresses brought about by climate change and numerous unforeseen scenarios. He explained that the blue economy in Sint Pietereiland would have to be inclusive, transparent and sustainable. "It is important to establish a set of standards for the blue economy. The high standards we maintain is what is going to set us apart from other nations and make our brand and products far more competitive than others."
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Re: Saridan

Postby imperialpearl » Mon Jul 26, 2021 9:47 pm

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The question of land tenure and the formalisation of land ownership in Ijkpieland remains one that has challenged the minds of numerous administrations transition in and out of Waratah House. The issue was initially sparked following Ijkpieland's ascent to provincehood as it became increasingly clear to the new provincial government that in order for the province to have the best chances at economic development, the use and ownership of land in the province would be extremely important. At the time, there had been no formal recognition of deeds, no organisation behind the redistribution of land, and numerous instances of land settlement disputes arising in the regional court. Historian Hanru Yangingoo notes that the land grab associated with Ijkpieland designation as a province and the subsequent failures of successive provincial governments to address the issue as it pertains to the ownership of deeds and the history of the redistribution of land in Ijkpieland are the root causes of the land tenure issues of today. Disputes in the regional court range from adverse possession to disputes over the ownership of land, with the latter appearing before the courts at an increasing frequency over the decades. In many instances, the land dispute cases are often between Ikpi landowners and Duntrekker investors. Real Estate Attorney, Piet Werrinmurri explained that of the 1 million landowners in Ijkpieland, only a small number of 100,000 maintain proof of deeds, meaning that some 900,000+ Ikpi persons are owning ancestral lands without deeds. The companies note that in so far as a property owner does not possess a deed showing proof of ownership, his/her claim to the land can be challenged. Werrinmurri pointed to a lack of both federal and provincial legislation aimed at safeguarding Ikpi land ownership and preventing opportunistic land title grabs by extra-provincial investors. He notes: "Although the act itself is egregious and distasteful, it does not run afoul of the law. Because there exist no legislative means to safeguard ancestral land titles and address the history of land tenure in the province. The reason why 900,000+ Ikpi persons don't have formal deeds is mainly that in the scatter to formally introduce Ijkpieland as a province, the Duntrekker national government at the time did not see it fit to provide deeds to persons during the initial land redistribution exercise."

Solicitor-General and Provincial Minister of Legal Affairs and Consumer Protection Gidea Prinsloo in a press conference at the Office of the Solicitor-General and Ministry of Legal Affairs and Consumer Protection announced that Ijkpieland's government has initiated the process to formally regularise land-ownership and resolve the numerous problems arising out of Duntrekker land redistribution process. According to Mrs Prinsloo, the Ijkpieland Executive had approved a suite of amendments to numerous pieces of legislation alongside the introduction of a series of new bills. Legislation under consideration for amendment is the Land Settlement Act, with the amendments to this act aimed at temporarily recognising ancestral lands from 3000 to present as being recognised as state land, and thus under the protection of the Stadtholder. According to Mrs Prinsloo, it would virtually freeze private sector interest in Ijkpieland titles whilst the provincial government, through the Land Settlement Agency build out its database of landowners and other associated data and begin the process of providing landowners with deeds. She noted however that during the period whereby ancestral land will be temporarily recognised as state land, the provincial government would reserve the right to engage in eminent domain, explaining that should the provincial government seek the option, it will be done with consultation and compensation. Speaking to the database to be built out by the Land Settlement Agency, Director-General of the LSA Johan Wannabung stated that the agency had already sent out RFPs (requests for proposals) to private application developers both domestically and internationally on developing software which would allow for ease of access for members of the public to request deeds and have their delivered to their homes, to make amendments to deeds without having to physically come into the LSA Headquarters and to allow for ease of doing business as it pertains to a fast and easy application process. He explained that the digitisation of historic documents is already completed at the agency, what remains is the software whereby the data gathered from the documents can be utilised to bring services to the citizenry.
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Re: Saridan

Postby imperialpearl » Tue Jul 27, 2021 4:01 am

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Minister-President Kerina Van Schalkwyk embarked on her first foreign visit since her appointment, becoming the first Saridani Minister-President to embark on a diplomatic trip since the first wave of isolationist far-right governments marched into power in Koeistad. She is expected to land in Haldor, Dorvik tomorrow morning where she intends on holding a series of meetings with high-ranking officials of the Dorvish Government including Dorvish State Chancellor Hans von Lÿndow-Sennhein. Her visit, as mentioned prior marks a momentous shift in Saridani foreign policy. Historically, the conservative governments which held power in Saridan for centuries preferred isolationist foreign policies, viewing interaction with extra-regional nations and regional partners as not being within the short, medium and/or long-term interests of Saridan. As the Saridani economy continues to experience increasingly complex external shocks, Minister-President Van Schalkwyk believes that the government must allow for Saridani exports to drive the economic recovery alongside the numerous macroeconomic policy reforms coming in the government's first major budget statement. According to the Minister-President, the Dorvish economy is the largest economy on the Artanian continent and has been established as one of the major global economies for centuries. She lamented that the Dorvish economy presented a unique opportunity for Saridani exporters to learn from the experiences of operating in an established market such as Dorvik's and enhance the quality of their services. "We intend on making major headways into the Dorvish market to ensure that our exports are of a standard whereby they can compete on the Dorvish market. Dorvik is a perfect testing ground whereby our exporters can become accustomed to operating in the Artanian market economies," the Minister-President said in an interview prior to her departure. According to statements from the Stigtershof, the Minister-President meeting with State Chancellor Hans von Lÿndow-Sennhein is expected to focus primarily on establishing strong diplomatic relations between the two nations. Concurrently, Saridan does not possess an official embassy on the Artanian continent owing to its isolationist past, thus the Minister-President has stated that she hopes that an embassy could be opened in Haldor to service the needs of Dorvik and the Artanian continent to a larger extent. Also on the table for discussion will be cooperation in defence. Many of the principles being applied by the current Chief of Defence Admiral Jaquan Kuiper are tactics and strategies developed by Dorvik. Admiral Kuiper was also educated at the Dorvish Naval Academy in Hauzenwald. The Minister-President hopes to strike numerous agreements on defence procurement as both Admiral Kuiper and Chief of the Army, Lt. General Bern Van Der Knaap are eager to acquire Dorvish military hardware as a part of the restructuring of the Saridani Defence Force.
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Re: Saridan

Postby imperialpearl » Tue Jul 27, 2021 4:10 am

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The question of modernising Saridan's Defence Force remains an extremely important issue for the defence establishment. Between balancing cost-effectiveness and combat effectiveness, the Federal Government has to ensure that it can develop a capable defence on a budget. At a press conference at the Federal Ministry of Defence, Federal Minister of Defence Bern Langenhoven announced that the government had entered into an agreement with Dorvish defence companies ADG (Artanian Defence Group), Theil-Hassel Technologies GmbH and Kasmetall AG on the acquisition of combat aircraft and armoured vehicles respectively. Director of the Defence Procurement Agency Bayode De Kok explained that having conducted deep consultations with ADG, the Federal Government would seek to acquire the Unionfighter Typhoon (60), the ADG Tornado IDS (20) and the ADG 4400M (10). Director De Kok explained that the aircraft to be procured were chosen primarily for their performance in previous global and regional conflicts. He noted that the Unionfighter and the Tornado were tried and tested aircraft, having been involved in numerous conflicts particularly those in Dovani and Artania. Newly appointed Chief of Defence, Admiral Jaquan Kuiper explained that the Saridani Air Force had to be modernised to formally begin patrolling the nation's airspace. He noted that concurrently, the Saridani Army had been responsible for aerospace defence through the use of ground-based radar. He added that because the Saridani Army had no capability to intercept aircraft, it makes their situation one based on the reasonableness of civilian and combatant aircraft to adhere to aerospace warnings. Having regard to their relative absence from their traditional responsibilities, Chief of the Air Force Lt. General Beaunard Du Preez noted that the Saridani Air Force, being a relatively new institution, had undergone a process of deep administrative and operational training. He explained that advisers from the Dorvish Air Force had assisted them in general administration and operational planning whilst the Air Force was awaiting the acquisition of aircraft to apply its principles. Speaking to armoured vehicles, Admiral Kuiper noted that the Saridani Army had been gradually phasing out its older equipment and thus the acquisition of 80 Leopard 2a6 tanks, 100 Puma IFVs and support trucks. He explained that the Saridani Army's concept of mechanised infantry warfare remains the foundation of its operations and thus the aforementioned equipment acquisitions are only the beginning of a much larger procurement programme. According to Minister Langenhoven, the government had set aside some 40 billion SAD (over a 10-20 year period) for the acquisition of defence equipment.
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Re: Saridan

Postby imperialpearl » Tue Jul 27, 2021 12:53 pm

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Federal Minister of Finance and the Treasury Dr Wikus Koekemoer piloted the SLP's first major budget in the House of Representatives since the party was re-elected to government months prior. The theme of the budget was hinged on rebuilding the national economy and transforming Saridan into an incubator for innovation. With the economy receiving minor amounts of attention from the previous caretaker governments, Dr Koekemoer stated that he intends on going all out on the economy. Having had deep stakeholder consultations with numerous entities from both the public and private sectors, and numerous rounds of discussions with the Economic Advisory Council, of which he is a member, Koekemoer stated that the budget was "the first economy to approach recovery through a whole of government approach." He noted that decades of recessions and depressions have significantly scarred the national economy. "Macroeconomic policy up to now has been virtually non-existent, in drafting this budget it became increasingly clear to the government that there was an urgent need to recalibrate macroeconomic policy to reflect the realities of our current economic situation." He lamented that the macroeconomic policies of the previous governments were executed and enforced with the concept of "one shoe fits all," rather than policies being made on a sector-by-sector basis. He noted that in many instances, some of the economic policies introduced by previous governments have done more harm than good. He explained that where previous governments pulled back on increasing spending in education, seeking to redirect critical funding for improving Saridan's education towards the nation's rapidly diminishing defence industry. "Whereas we should have been pouring in billions of dollars into supporting provincial governments on creating innovative programmes to improve the quality and reach of education in the provinces, money was poured into an industry which it was clear from the onset, was on its way out." According to the Minister, the government's budgets in the coming decades would focus on five (5) core positions: (I) Vocational Training, (II) Improve the quality and accessibility of education (III) building a sustainable welfare system (IV) providing affordable housing (V) establishing an enabling environment for innovation and growth.
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Speaking on the government's vocational and technical training agenda, Dr Koekemoer stated that the programme is already operational, having been launched months prior by Federal Minister of Labour and Social Services Viktor Arjoon. He explained that the federal government maintained an obligation to provide as many opportunities for Saridani citizens to thrive in the modern economy as possible. He noted that in many instances persons do not possess the qualifications to move onto the next states of life and are many times stuck in one position. "It is important that we grant persons the opportunity to utilise alternative pathways to success." According to the Minister, the federal government intends on commissioning a manpower plan to ensure that the students of today are prepared to take full advantage of the future economy and become highly-skilled labourers, scientists, teachers etc of tomorrow. The plan is expected to be commissioned by a tripartite team of the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communication, the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Services and the Federal Ministry of Education, Culture and the Arts. The Minister also stated that the Federal Ministry of Seleyan and International Affairs had already begun the process of requesting that international governments and their respective education systems begin to recognise Saridani educational qualifications as either better than or equal to their own.
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In seeking to craft an ambitiously broad vocational and technical training programme, the Federal Government remains committed to enhancing the quality and accessibility of education. Speaking on education for all, Dr Koekemoer announced that the government would work towards implementing free education for primary, secondary and tertiary education. He explained that if Saridan wanted to become a major competitor in the global economy, an educated workforce remained one of the few ways such a goal could be achieved. He stated that the Federal Government intends on introducing a suite of subsidies in the education sector to ensure that everyone, regardless of age, ethnicity, gender or socioeconomic stance could have access to quality education. He announced that some 100 billion dollars would be distributed among the provincial governments to aid in the construction of new schools, the hiring of new teachers and the transformation of provincial educational districts to allow for greater integration of emerging technologies in education. Dr Koekemoer stated that as the government operationalises free education for all, it intends on ensuring technological advances find their way to students. "Particular attention is going to be placed on STEM programmes, ensuring that our students are prepared for the jobs of the future economy. We will craft a digitally competent child population who would go on to become tomorrow's technology innovators." The cost of education for all, according to the Minister would see the state incur some 400 billion dollars in the next decade as the government intends on ensuring that the process of obtaining an education in Saridan is accessible to all.
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Speaking on the welfare system, Dr Koekemoer indicated that there was a great eagerness on the part of the federal government to rebuild the welfare state amidst centuries of far-right politics. He explained that a review of the welfare state conducted by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Services found that many of the progressive initiatives initiated underneath previous left-wing governments had been virtually destroyed. The Federal Superannuation Fund had been virtually drained as previous far-right governments used the pensions of federal employees to fund exorbitant rallies and unnecessary projects. The Minister stated that the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Services was currently in deep consultations with numerous stakeholders on a complete overhaul of the Saridani welfare system. He stated that the Ministry of Labour and Social Services would seek to restructure the Federal Superannuation Fund to ensure that monies cannot be drawdown from the fund without the approval of the various labour unions which represent federal employees. Federal Minister of Labour and Social Services Viktor Arjoon later elaborated on Minister Koekemoer's statements on overhauling the welfare system. He explained that as Saridan is a federal republic, it means that many of the social welfare programmes would be devolved to the provincial governments with a special fund to be known as the Federal Assistance Fund (FAF) being an entity from which the provincial governments can drawdown funding for crucial welfare programmes in the areas of poverty alleviation and unemployment.
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Speaking on housing, Dr Koekemoer stated that the government would make some 50 billion dollars available for affordable housing construction throughout the provinces. He explained that homelessness has been steadily increasing as the spectre of mass unemployment looms over the government. He lamented that the rate of housing construction by provincial governments was not fast enough to meet rising demand. In recognition of that, the federal government intends on making much-needed amendments to the Housing Development Act to allow for public-private partnerships. Apart from PPP in housing developments, tax incentives are expected to be rolled out for the private sector to encouraging property development firms to enhance their investment in housing schemes. Tariffs imposed on the importation of much-needed building materials are expected to be rolled back by the Federal Ministry of Trade and Industry to facilitate increased inflows of investment. There have been rumours of the federal government's intention to establish a federal housing corporation that will be responsible for the construction of homes, however, both Dr Koekemoer and Federal Minister of Economic Affairs and Communications, Dr Elani Witbooi stated that the responsibility of housing developments would really solely in the hands of the provincial governments. The Minister also spoke to the plight of first-time homeowners and renters. He explained that the federal government is currently looking at means to reduce housing prices for first-time homeowners. For renters, a Federal Rent Assistance Fund is expected to be created to offset some of the expenses associated with renting. Stakeholder consultations have already begun on potentially establishing a proportional cap on rent.
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Addressing the issue of innovation and growth, Dr Koekemoer announced that the federal government would increase research and development funding for universities. A special fund is to be created to assist private firms in obtaining government funding for research and development. According to Dr Koekemoer, when private firms apply for funding from the fund, the government obtains a stake in the company relative to the amount of funding drawdown from the fund. He added that whilst the government intends on simplifying the federal tax regime, it also intends on introducing numerous tax incentives to encourage companies to invest in research and development. Particular attention is expected to be placed on Boerestaat, which Dr Koekemoer states will become a global hub for innovation. On enabling growth, Dr Koekemoer stated that the Federal Ministry of Trade and Industry would be seeking to improve the ease of doing business in Saridan through technology. He explained that the time it takes for someone to register a business in Saridan is among the slowest on the continent, owing to the numerous bureaucratic processes associated with business and work in the nation. The Business Development Agency is expected to be the implementing agency of the federal government's ease of doing business agenda alongside the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications which is responsible for digital transformation in the public sector.
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Re: Saridan

Postby imperialpearl » Thu Jul 29, 2021 6:06 pm

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In what has been dubbed as the beginning of multiple corporate mergers, Saridan's two largest shipping companies have announced their intention to merge to create the nation's largest shipping company, in what has been cited by business experts as a response to the tough economic conditions within Saridan amidst the tight foreign exchange window and the candid decline in demand for Saridani products. Sint Pietereiland Line and Pietersburg Marine Transit, the country's two largest shipping firms, announced their merger in a joint statement that would see the new entity's value stand at around an estimated $6 Billion LOD. The economic downturn in Saridan has forced many companies to merge to survive, with the Reserve Bank of Saridan announcing months prior that it intends on encouraging mergers in numerous industries including petrochemicals, financial services, manufacturing and shipping. Although Pietersburg Marine Transit has fared well due to the contributions of its investors, Sint Pietereiland Line announced earlier this month that should the domestic situation not change, the company could potentially file for bankruptcy protection, in a move many have warned could shake up the domestic market, with the potential of adding 10,000 persons to the government's unemployment statistics. The merged companies shall be known as Pieterburg Line (Pietersburglyn) and will buy a controlling stake in Sint Pietereiland Line. According to statements from officials within the maritime industry, the merger would see thousands of employees and numerous pieces of equipment including levels and port infrastructure come underneath the banner of PL Holdings, the new parent company of the combined firms. According to Professor Tjaart Verwoerd, maritime transport and logistics lecturer at the University of Sint Pietereiland, Pieterburg Line would now control around 45% of the total market share in Saridan.

Stadtholder and Minister of Finance, Economic Affairs and Investment Aitan Van Der Walt has expressed concern for smaller shipping firms who are underneath a greater degree of stress compared to their largest counterparts. He noted that many of the smaller shipping firms have written to the Ministry of Finance, Economic Affairs and Investment, seeking government assistance to keep their businesses afloat. Van Der Walt has stated that the Sint Pietereiland Executive intends on meeting in the future to discuss a potential stimulus package to boost the economy once more. He stated that whilst the government would not incentivise companies to merge, he noted the Reserve Bank of Saridan would continue to issue a guideline for potential mergers and monitor each instance. On the Koeistad Stock Exchange, the share prices for the two companies skyrockets amidst the announcement of the merger. Chairman and CEO of Pietersburg Marine Transit, Jaquan Rautenbach stated that a new board and CEO would have to be appointed to govern over the new company amidst the merger. Ms Rautenbach stated that she intends to argue her appointment as CEO of PL, citing her leadership in keeping Pietersburg Marine Transit afloat and on a projected growth path.
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Re: Saridan

Postby imperialpearl » Tue Aug 03, 2021 10:29 am

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The worsening economic situation coupled with the increase in tuition fees for children entering primary and secondary education sparked a national debate which became one of the keys focuses of the government's first budget statement. For decades, many within Saridani society have grappled with declining revenue and increasing tuition fees amidst the nation's worsened economic situation, especially those within the lower income brackets. The Centre for Economic Research estimates that around 70% of the nation's primary and secondary school population, originates from households recognised by the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Treasury as middle to low-income households, with 40% of that figure being persons separately recognised by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Services as being in/near extreme poverty. As the informal sector continues to grow amidst a lack of opportunity in the formal sector coupled with unskilled labourers being virtually locked out of securing long-term, meaningful and/or stable employment, the number of households grappling with difficulties in paying tuition fees is expected to increase. Having regard for the plight of the nation's children and their respective families, Minister-President Kerina Van Schalkwyk announced the government's plan to completely subsidise primary and secondary education. During the budget statement, Federal Minister of Finance and the Treasury Dr. Wikus Koekemoer announced that the government would be seeking to subsidise education, thus increasing accessibility and quality. He lamented that medium to low-income households deserved a fighting chance in having their children obtain access to quality education as it remained a basic and inalienable right. Earlier this morning, Federal Minister of Education, Culture and the Arts Dr. Minenhle De Kock speaking alongside both Minister-President Van Schalkwyk and Minister Koekemoer outlined the logistics of obtaining free education in Saridan. She explained that according to information gathered from the Ministry, families spend around $20-30 billion SAD per annum on matters on education, from administrative fees to tuition fees to the payment of standardised tests, numerous costs were involved in the day-to-day operations of educating the children of Saridan.

According to Dr. Koekemoer, amidst the complete subsidization of primary and secondary education, the government commits to an obligation of mandatory expenses. He explained that before the subsidies making free education possible was introduced, mandatory payments related to federal employees' salaries and remuneration packages, meaning that in all circumstances before the federal budget is even conceptualised, the government reserves monies for employee wages. As the subsidies on education come online, the government would reserve additional monies before the conceptualisation of the federal budget to cover the expenses related to maintaining free education. Speaking briefing on teaching salaries, Dr. Koekemoer stated that the provincial governments will be responsible for the salaries of teachers through their respective provincial ministries of education. He added that where there is a disagreement between teachers and the provincial ministries of education on salaries, matters can be referred to an independent, federal review commission. Supporting Dr. Koekemoer's statement, Federal Minister of Labour and Social Services Viktor Arjoon encouraged teachers to unionise. He explained that it would be better for unions representing teachers in the various provinces to be responsible for negotiating wages with the provincial governments. When asked to define the government's position in charter schools and selective schools, Minister-President Van Schalkwyk stated that the Education Act would be amended to see such schools banned. She explained that charter and selective schools promoted segregation and discrimination in education and were the leading causes of the perception of the wealthy having better access to better schools. "What should make one school better than the other should not be whether it is private or not. It should be whether both the teachers and students in a particular school demonstrate a willingness to go above and beyond. We want education to be accessible to all. To be as simple as a child and parent applies for a school and the education process begins. We've removed the credit crunch from education and allowed for more persons to enter and benefit from it."
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Re: Saridan

Postby imperialpearl » Tue Aug 03, 2021 10:48 am

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On the backdrop of decades of inefficacies, racial bias and inequality in the social welfare system, Federal Minister of Labour and Social Services Viktor Arjoon has announced that major changes are coming to the structure and function of Saridan's welfare system, with a strong emphasis being placed on enhancing the government's reach to the most vulnerable. Speaking at a press conference discussing the particulars of the changes coming to the social welfare system, Minister Arjoon stated that the government intends on making changes to the federal pension system, enhancing efficiency and transparency in the distribution of social welfare assistance, crafting new social welfare programmes aimed at getting people back on their feet and keeping them above the poverty line. Saridan's social welfare system has long garnered criticism from advocates against poverty and inequality who say that the current system is a handover of the previously discriminatory welfare systems which existed underneath the nation's numerous far-right political administrations. Throughout Saridan's history, its brushes with far-right movements, ultra-conservative despots and theocratic loons have seriously damaged the structure and operational integrity of the social welfare system, both on the federal and provincial levels. It is public knowledge that during the aforementioned regimes, numerous minorities groups were denied crucial social welfare assistance, thus leading many to state that the troubles of minority ethnic groups in Saridan are a direct result of the actions of the Saridani Government. Since the proclamation of the federal republic, social welfare has been mainly devolved to the provinces, with the Federal Government maintaining a supervisory role, opting to intervene to provide technical assistance. One of the core problems arising out of the devolution of social welfare to the provinces remains the fact that due to the lack of digital infrastructure in the provinces, persons seeking social welfare assistance or any sort of service pertaining to the welfare system cannot be easily identified as they are not identified by unique identifiers but instead by their names and addresses. This has led to numerous instances of fraud being reported by the provincial governments as they flag proven double-dippers and scammers.

According to Minister Arjoon, one of the major changes coming to the welfare system is that everyone in Saridan upon becoming eighteen (18) will be assigned a social welfare number, which would allow for both the federal and provincial governments to identify individuals in their interactions with the welfare system. Speaking to the changes coming to the pension system, Minister Arjoon stated that the system would be based on a pay-as-you-go (PAYG) instead of a fully funded system. He explained in a PAYG system, the contributions of current workers pay for the pension benefits of pensioners compared to a fully funded system which would be entirely private and would be based on the individual accumulation of workers into private pension funds. Alizea Baatjies, Territory Tax Leader for professional services firm Lewis & Coetzee, expressed concern at the decision to transition towards a PAYG system. She explained that although a PAYG system allows for wider coverage, efficient redistribution and increased transparency, the entire system hinges on the size of the workforce. "It virtually means that in times when the working population is on the decline, pensions will decrease as the contributions of active workers would decrease." She urged for a blended system, allowing persons the ability to have private pension funds and maintaining a PAYG system for persons in the low-income brackets. Minister Arjoon hit back, explaining that maintaining a fully funded system would be extremely dangerous as it would require a social safety net to be applied in the event of economic uncertainty, it is considered extremely risky by most risk managers and investment bankers. Speaking to new social welfare programmes, Minister Arjoon stated that the government would be increasing unemployment benefits to allow for persons to be able to maintain a standard of living above the poverty line. He also noted that anyone seeking unemployment assistance would be granted an opportunity to transition to the National Apprenticeship Scheme. Minister Arjoon is expected to convene a meeting of the Provincial Labour and Social Welfare Ministers where it is expected that he will discuss increased changes to the welfare system.
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