Keymon

[Yolo04]

January 4804, Valruzian Embassy in Turtle Bay: As the crowds surrounding the embassy grew louder and louder, many in Turtle Bay would be forgiven for wondering what the commotion was about. One could’ve easily assumed that it was a protest, had the people there not be waving the Valruzian and UPF Flag. However, once General Versace and Valruzian Ambassador left the embassy and began to speak to the people outside it became evident, to anyone confused, that this was not a protest…this was a pro-Valruzian UPF rally.

General Versace, after speaking briefly to a man off of the stage, began to talk to the crowd using a megaphone. During this speech, he made several promises regarding the United Patriotic Fronts foreign agenda, most of which revolve around Seleyan regional politics. He stated that:

The geopolitical scenario in Seleya effects us tremendously. Keymon must assert it’s place in the international order or it will be left behind and will be used and exploited. The government is currently failing to act on the world stage, preferring to limit our military’s ability to defend this great nation. Those cowards in the 3L party have continuously defamed our nation, our culture…and most importantly of all…our god. They allow homosexuals and transgenders to enlist in our military, dishonoring our militaries motto…’Dominus noster, et nos pro Terra’…We Fight for Our Land and Our Lord.

If the people of Keymon elect the United Patriotic Front into power, we shall immediately reverse the Grand Duke’s actions and we will then begin negotiations with the Valruzian government to enter into an iron-clad alliance with the nation.

Valruzia has served as one of Keymon’s staunchest allies in our long history. It is a shame that the government currently refuses to embrace this friendship and, instead, wishes to strain it. This governments objective is to destroy our nations culture and international standings. Once we gain power, we will reverse all of this blatant destruction of our culture.

[Yolo04]

In a sudden and shocking turn of events, the newly formed United Patriotic Front (UPF) has managed to beat the well-entrenched Leigh Loyalist League (L3) with nearly 70% of the vote, marking a major shift in Keymon politics.

The United Patriotic Front was formed barely 4 years ago, by former Army General Augusto Versace. The UPF is generally labeled a conservative party, yet many within the party reject the label of conservative and use the label of “national pragmatics”, which is loosely summarized as a conglomeration of ideas from across the political spectrum that could “potentially better the nation”.

On contrast to this, the Leigh Loyalist Party is a primarily liberal party, that has worked to distance the state from the church (something highly prevalent during the Éva monarchy). The Loyalist Party is the political party of current Grand Duke Bryce Leigh XVI.

The election results where heavily swayed by the Leigh Loyalist Party’s decision to move the capital city away from Pacivila (which was originally built for the sole purpose of being the nation’s capital) and the parties firm backing of the Dukedom, which caused many former Éva supporters to back the up and coming UPF. The primary Loyalist electoral base was present in Turtle Bay which, despite it’s spot as the largest city in Keymon, did harm the Loyalists chances in other cities, which mainly went to the UPF.

The Head of the United Patriotic Front, General Augusto Versace, provided comment in regards to his commitment to change whilst his party is in power:

The United Patriotic Front has, and will continue to, fight for the rights of the religious people’s of Keymon to have their ideals enforced. We will continue to fight for the Hosian values we fought for on the campaign trail, regardless of the current backlash.

However, I have recently been in contact with the leadership of the Leigh Loyalist Party, and we have come to a mutual understanding regarding the place of the royal family and their necessity. As such, the UPF has made a commitment to refrain from harming or deposing the monarchy. We may wish for change, but the total destruction of a national symbol cannot be permitted to occur.

Many international observers have begun to speculate on the inevitable ramifications that a UPF government (which will officially take power in January) will cause on the international stage. The United Patriotic Front has promised to take aggressive actions in securing an extended Economic Exclusion Zone (EEZ) in the south, which is primarily driven by the sizable oil and gas reserves found in the region.

Another potential primer of conflict is concerning the Island of Pirland, currently controlled by Likatonia. Whilst the UPF has refrained from public statements regarding the island, General Versace has stated, on numerous occasions, that he would use “all force necessary” to assert Keymonite control over the island.

However, other observers have noted the economic policies proposed by the UPF, which could see a large expansion of the nations domestic manufacturing sector, which would be directly harmed by aggressive actions against many her neighbors. As such, these observers doubt the rhetoric spewed by the UPF and instead have envisioned a Keymon that, whilst increasing military expenditures, would not attempt to cause international outrage.

[Yolo04]

This morning, following a brief meeting with the Head of the Keymon Monetary Authority (Keymon’s central bank), High Chancellor Augusto Versace announces that the Economic Development Board would be recalled to “create a balanced export portfolio”.

The Economic Development Bureau was formed by Queen Éva in 4773, to act as the temporary body overseeing reconstruction following the civil war. However, the Bureau soon morphed into the primary economic planners for the Keymon economy, which slowly shifted from a service based economy to one focused around trade and arms manufacturing. The Economic Development Bureau was closed in 4800, however, following a loss in funding.

High Chancellor Versace did confirm that the Economic Development Bureau would be given the ability to implement economic decisions, if approved of by the High Chancellor. He also explained that the Economic Development Bureau would be focusing on “creating a stable export market, that can balance the interests of both our services and tech sector, and our automotive and manufacturing sectors”.

Few voices of political opposition have been heard condemning the reconvening of the EDB, which is a rarity for a policy enacted by High Chancellor Versace. However, several major economics professors have questioned the necessity of a potential shift in the nations economy. They wrote an academic paper titled ‘A Shift A Century: Why Changing the Nations Economy Will Harm It’. The following is an excerpt from that paper:

The current scenario facing the economy is unique globally. Keymon occupies a key geo-economic position for global trade, and it has a thriving tourism sector. However, the nation also has a thriving arms manufacturing sector, which makes it one of the few nations in the world that has successfully juggled having both a service & manufacturing based economy.

However, the proposed changes to the economy, such as making automotive production a high priority, will have a severely negative impact on the services sector, as more funds are pulled away from public cleaning projects towards funding manufacturing.

Whilst we do not hold any will towards the idea of an ever-changing economy, we believe that the government is moving in the wrong direction. We encourage the government to move towards less industrialization, and a heavier emphasis on the services sector, and the petroleum sector (if the government fulfills it’s promise to extend it’s Economic Exclusion Zone further south).

[Yolo04]

In a surprise turn of events, High Chancellor Versace has recently announced a massive budget cut centered around the Keymon Armed Forces, reducing the nations military budget by over fifty percent.

Versace, who has traditionally been a staunch proponent of expanding the militaries power, made the announcement in a live television address from the Chancellory Office. The address discussed what military programs would have their funding reduced or completely withdraw, the reduction in benefits for veterans (which he claimed would not be reduced), and reasons behind the budgetary decrease. His primary explanation for the sudden change in attitude towards military spending, was the highly hyped ‘International Keymon’ Plan.

The International Keymon Plan is an economic plan proposed by the Economic Development Bureau, which will see the nation’s economy transition from primarily manufacturing, to focus primarily on the tourism, hospitality, and services sectors. These sectors would be primarily propped up by foreign visitation to Keymon, primarily for the nations natural, tropical beauty. This switch to tourism and services has been clearly displayed in the recent budget passed, which saw the Ministry of Tourism receive 15 billion KED (OOC: 3 billion USD) to both advertise the nation abroad and expand Keymon’s tourism capacity.

The response from high ranking members of the military has been one of both chaos and anger, as their respective branches have seen their previously planned budgets slashed to pieces. According to one anonymous secretary, working in the Ministry of Defense, the branches of the military have begun releasing active duty members from their contracts early, leaving many without a plan to get a job in another sector. This has caused outrage amongst many war-hawks, who have demanded the Versace government compensate soldiers released early from their contracts.

We where able to get an telephone interview with an anonymous source within the Ministry of Defense (on the condition that we not reveal his/her name or voice), who stated that:

We’ve been absolutely bombarded by higher command, with them asking to look into whatever measures necessary to cut down on expenses and how to raise additional cash. We suggested that we could sell some of our military equipment to some other nations, so that we could get rid of it and end up with more money than we had before.

So, according to a guy I know higher up the chain, the Navy and Air Force have begun selling off their military equipment to the Valruzians, and the Army has begun selling their armored vehicles to museums and private collectors. The Valruzians where able to snatch all ten of our Panavia fighter jets, leaving us with no fixed wing aircraft, all three of our FREMM frigates, four out of our six OPV’s, and all of our attack helicopters.

The government has practically skinned our budget alive, leaving us with no other choice than to shrink our equipment and numbers. I don’t think this is the wisest choice that could be made at the moment.

International observers have noted this sudden shift, and have speculated it is due to potential fears in Pacivila over Deltarian interference in Keymon militarization. Following the sudden collapse of the governments and economies of Lourenne and Kazulia, Deltaria emerged as one of the worlds strongest military and economic powers, giving it leeway over the tiny island state.

[Masionette9]

* To read the full story click in the picture above.

[Yolo04]

The Ministry of Tourism has recently unveiled a new ad campaign, prominently displaying Keymon’s natural beauty and exotic features. The new ad campaign, called ‘Dream in Keymon’, has begun to air in over thirty-two countries worldwide, sparking renewed interest in the Keymon tourism industry.

Tourism in Keymon has had an extremely rough few decades, following the Keymon Civil War, which destroyed many major tourism centers, and destroyed the countries reputation as a peaceful island nation. Following the civil war, the authoritarian Éva regime had alienated numerous nations and had prevented tourism from the Majatran nations. The final true death knell for the tourism industry was the sudden collapse of the Kazulian and Lourennais governments, which prompted a sudden crash in tourism from the Northern Hemisphere, which made up 89% of the tourism industries revenue. The tourism industry then shrank to less than 0.5% of Keymon’s GDP, where it had made up 4.5% in the years before the civil war.

The head of the Leighstown Tourism Board, Mr. Apuleio Bagnato noted the increase in tourism brought about by the new as campaign, in a recent interview:

I believe the ad campaign recently launched by the Ministry [of Tourism] has given us a boost in tourism numbers, especially during the winter months. The people of Northern and Southern Terra are coming to Keymon to avoid their typical, freezing winters and to enjoy a warm Christmas. We have had issues with Ahmadi travelers, many of whom have complained about the lack of mosques, which would indicate the time of prayer. However, I believe the loss of Ahmadi tourism is not a great loss, when compared to the potential backlash over building a mosque in Leighstown.

The increase in tourism has also led to an increase in Keymon cultural influence in nearly all corners of the globe. Purchases of Ammuntagnun and Felugun language dictionaries have increased by nearly 550% this year alone, according to the Ministry of Education. This could provide the government a way to expand it’s current diplomatic circles beyond it’s neighbors.

[Yolo04]

Valruzia and Keymon have officially signed an agreement, forming a new transnational organization called the Valruzian-Keymon Union State.

The Valruzian-Keymon Union State is an organization, dedicated to the “preservation and proactive propagation of economic and political ties between the Republic of Keymon and the Republic of Valruzia”. The Union State, which had been an idea originally proposed by radical republicans in Keymon as a way to safeguard the newly established republic, became far more mainstream following the signing of the Treaty of Dąbik (which has led to Valruzia being coined as “Keymon’s protector” by some). The idea gained more traction after a television interview with General Versace went viral, where he stated his intentions to further ties so much so that “the two nations would be impossible to separate”.

General Versace has seemingly gotten his wish as, with the signing of the Nowogard Customs Accord and the formation of the Union State, Keymon and Valruzia have officially formed a single internal market, a united customs union, and has established free movement of goods and people’s within the union.

Following requests for an interview, the Valruzian and Keymon negotiation teams relaxed a statement to the press stating:

The union state is an attempt to unite the two nations we represent, closer than previously permitted. We have been able to extend the relationship between our countries further, because our nations have given up portions of our sovereignty. We have enough trust in each other to hand over said sovereignty without requiring unreasonable concessions. However, this union state is not, and will never be, a replacement for the national sovereignty of our nations. Keymon shall always be Keymon and Valruzia shall always be Valruzia. The sovereignty of our country’s shall never change, only what we classify as part of our sovereignty.

The formation of the Union State indicates a potential shift in geopolitics in the region, as Keymon begins to rely on Valruzia more, for it’s defense and material needs. This shift could potentially upset the global order, as more power is concentrated around Seleya, making the narrow trade routes through the Mad Dog even more vital. The question however remains: Will this union extend into the realm of the military or shall it stop at economics?

[imperialpearl]

With the strongest mandate to govern in the nation's history, the Social Democratic Party (Partitu Socialdemocraticu - PSd) has secured all 75 seats in the National Assembly in a historic landslide. Disenfranchisement at the hands of numerous caretaker governments of the past has granted the PSd to easily walk into securing a supermajority. Speaking to supporters at the party's headquarters in Turtle Bay, Political Leader of the PSd, Jacques Périer thanked the nation for granting the party its supermajority and putting its trust in him as a leader. He stated that he intends on governing the affairs of Keymon with decency and respect, adding that his party will hold to its promises. "I will hold to the mandate given to me by the people to govern over their affairs. I intend to conduct the business of governing Keymon with decency and respect, two principles which have clearly been lacking from our political spectrum as of recent." The incoming Prime Minister stated that he intends on forming a technocratic government, one comprised of experts in the various fields relating to the governance of Keymon. He explained that there was a serious lack of competent leadership in the decision chambers of Keymon, citing the failures of previous governments. Périer's victory would make it the first time in more than 500 years that a strictly social democratic party has been elected to govern as the nation has a history of favouring conservative/right-leaning political parties.

[imperialpearl]

OOC: Back Dated

Earlier this morning, State Secretary for Finance and Economic Development Dr Sabine Benedetti outlined the Social Democratic Party Government's financial plan for the coming term. In what has been dubbed as a shift in tone from previous governments, Dr Sabine Benedetti's address had been backed entirely by statistical data collected by the Budgets Departments of the Department of Finance and Economic Development. It is noted that previous governments had failed to make statistical data the centre-point of their budget presentations, with many preferring extemporaneous commentaries over presenting the public with actionable data. It is apart of the new government's attempt to craft a data-driven governance approach. Describing it as "the most ambitious economic recovery plan in the nation's history", the State Secretary piloted her very first budget to the cheers of her cabinet colleagues. She described the national economy within a state of depression, lamenting decades of poor economic decisions and the lack of a clear plan to move the nation forward. She highlighted the nation's debt profile as requiring a significant restructuring. According to the State Secretary, "Our public debt stands at roughly 135% of GDP, with forecasts by the Bank of Keymon pointing to a 3% increase in the coming fiscal year if macroeconomic policies are not introduced to redress the system." She attributed the situation to the track record of previous governments running numerous fiscal deficits, exceeding annual revenues. She noted, "The previous government piloted its last budget through this National Assembly with revenue standing at around 38.7 Billion KED and expenditure standing at around 41 billion KED. This meant that under the last budget, we saw a deficit of 2 billion KED." Dr Benedetti noted that having gone back into the budget presentations over the past ten years, Keymon had seen an average 2-3 billion KED in fiscal deficits; meaning that over the past 10 years, Keymon had seen expenditure profiles exceeding revenue thus leading to a statistical decade of fiscal deficits.

"With no clear plan for diversification, the governments of the past decade have failed the current generations and are directly responsible for the situation we find ourselves in today." Dr Benedetti exclaimed. Although attempts to truly diversify the national economy had been attempted by previous governments, many of the said attempts had either failed to have the intended effect or had been abandoned altogether. "Our economy is not in an economic depression as Furica Piras would have you believe; We are in a deep depression." Before diving into the Finance and Economic Development Secretary's plan for the coming years, it is the view of this newspaper that it would be appropriate to dive into Dr Benedetti's history. Dr Sabine Benedetti is a career economist having worked primarily within the public sector as the Chief Economist of the Bank of Keymon for the period 4835-4844. Dr Benedetti has a large amount of experience in the area of macroeconomic policy development and implementation. Before being appointed as State Secretary for Finance and Economic Development, she served as Head of Department of the University of Keymon's School of Business and Economics. Dr Benedetti, in highlighting the foreign exchange issue, lamented the need for a major correction. She stated that the Keymon Dollar was heading towards a market correction, meaning that the KED could potentially be devalued by at least 20%. She noted that the Central Government could no longer burn foreign exchange to defend the Keymon Dollar and thus had to devalue or introduce a market correction. Dr Benedetti stated that she intended on devaluing in Keymon Dollar as a means of avoiding a complete market correction in the future. She noted that the devaluation will mean an increase in inflation and an increase in the cost of living for many, but lamented that the decisions made today will be for the benefit of an easier tomorrow.

[imperialpearl]

Radio Television Keymon
Opinion and Analysis
Recovery in Focus
Part 1: Building a Skilled Workforce for the Future Economy.
By Vincenzo Pucciarelli, State Secretary for Labour
14th January, 4855

The workplace of the future is much different from the workplace of the past. What was needed more than 10-15 years ago is no longer adequate to fit the needs of a modern economy. I note that we in the Department of Labour are already observing trends whereby a large percent of workers (most of whom do not possess degrees) often find themselves missing out on the opportunities which the modern economies of today are offering. In our society, if you don't have a degree there is little to no chance of you being able to participate in the modern economy alongside someone who does. There appears to be a growing debate as to why this is happening. Some scholars have blamed the concept of globalisation and a freer/more open global community. They argue that low skilled workers are now competing with persons around the world, persons who are more than willing to work in conditions which could only be described as poor and inadequate for the same amount of money. Others simply blame technology and the advances that come with it. They argue that automation is replacing the human soul of the economy with machines. They often decry the woes of a technological society, stating that it would herald in mass unemployment and poverty. It's as if innovation has now become our enemy.

If our workforce, however, is truly prepared for globalisation and automation, we wouldn't cast suspicions to societal advancements. Those with the skills i.e the degrees have done well for themselves, most of these individuals are lawyers, doctors, politicians, teachers and bankers and I could go on; but what about those who don't? That question is the main reason as to why I'm working alongside State Secretary for Education and Culture Myriam Garnier in forming a nationwide apprenticeship system. Now I could run a tangent on the relationship between Education and Economic Development but I'll leave that for Ms Garnier to expand on as she is doing Part 2 of this piece. Successive governments have failed in their recovery efforts mainly because they themselves failed to factor in the workforce. It was often believed that when government policy changed, the workforce would simply get up on its hinds gets and adapt to fit the needs of the new policy. Investing, pouring resources into the workforce is the true measure of our economic growth. We only get back how much we put in. State Secretary Garnier and I have already begun a process which sets to address the lacklustre approach to the quality of skills training we observe in our economy. If we could potentially increase the quality and standard of our skills training, we could allow for those who don't have a university degree to compete directly with persons who do for employment opportunities.

Prime Minister Périer believes that for us to move forward equally as a society we have to establish a levelled playing field. He strongly believes that persons without opportunity should be furnished with the skills and attitude needed to attain them. The apprenticeship programme we intend on rolling out in the coming months and years will not only be confined to the borders of Keymon but could also be used as a signal to extra-regional employers that an individual (although he/she does not possess a university education) has skills he/she has gained through this apprenticeship programme and as such it should allow for him/her to be placed equally alongside persons with university education. We cannot continue to allow for thousands of our citizens who could not either afford or make it through university to languish and become mere observers in the nation's development. We must enable them to become active participants in our national development and growth. This is why Prime Minister Périer will commission the Vocational Education Board. This institution (underneath the Department of Labour) would be primarily charged with developing and guiding the adoption of the national vocational training policy. I believe that this agency would rekindle the idea of upward mobility for many of our citizens who have slipped through the cracks of our education system. A competent workforce, one capable of being extremely flexible and adaptive to changes in the global economy is one which I'd like to be privy to and I strongly believe we can build such a workforce right here in Keymon.