Tropica

[Robert F. Kennedy]

Blackhall Palace places "high priority" over possible Tropican visit.

[jamescfm]

Labour and Co-operative Union win first outright majority in a generation
8 August 5427

Nikutabi, Tropica - In a historic general election result, the Labour and Co-operative Union have won an outright majority for the first time in a generation. Union leader Otikoro Watihana will become the country’s next prime minister when he is invited to form a government by the Kaitiaki in the coming days. Since the last general election, Watihana’s party has formed the official opposition to a diverse coalition government composed of the Tropica First Party, National Action, and Forward Tropica.

In a public speech as the results were becoming clear, Watihana described the election as “turning point” in modern Tropican history. Throughout the campaign, he has focused on Tropica’s rising wealth inequality and the government’s failure to prioritise climate change as a political issue. In contrast to previous Union leaders, Watihana has pledged to withdraw from the Luthorian Commonwealth. Criticising the free trade principles of the organisation, he has decried it as a “raw deal for the Tropican people”.

In the domestic sphere, he has promised a return to the economic principles that led to the creation of the Co-operative Union in 4827. For many years, Tropica adhered closely to the “Sekowan model” of economics based on workers co-operatives. Under the rule of the Socialist Party in the 52nd century, there was an increased emphasis on private industry in many areas of the economy. Governments since then have largely retained these economic policies. Watihana says that will change under his premiership.

[Zanz]

     Ending the "raw deal of 'free' trade", Union govt withdraws from Luthorian Commonwealth
               13 August 5427

Making good on a campaign promise widely believed to be responsible for the largest single-party electoral victory in a generation, the Labour and Co-operative Union administration has sent official notice to ambassadors of all signatory states of the Commonwealth of Luthorian Nations that on 31 December 5427 Tropica's affiliation with that body will cease.

Union Prime Minister Otikoro Watihana made withdrawal a central platform for his party after several prominent Tropican economists penned an op ed in Nikutabi Today outlining that the free trade stipulations of the Commonwealth contributed significantly to increased prices on various goods exported from Tropica to the more developed economies of the Commonwealth. The op ed, published on the 25th anniversary of Tropica's accession to the Commonwealth and one of NT's most read articles in 5425, argued that though some of Tropica's privatized businesses did benefit from this arrangement, Tropica's bedrock cooperatives struggled to compete with prices paid by Luthorian and Hutorian multinational corporations, contributing to an unprecedented number of cooperative failures in the first quarter of the 55th century. The article and its political backers noted that the Commonwealth's economic costs were not worth the benefits for the people of Tropica, which largely consisted of cultural and sporting affiliations (which exist outside of the framework of the Commonwealth) and in untaxed trade with Commonwealth nations. On the last point, Union politicians were quick to point out that Luthori does not impose tariffs on any nations, and Hutori imposes only reciprocal tariffs, meaning the two largest Commonwealth economies will still be largely accessible to the Tropican market.

The news has led to some instability in markets trading in Tropican futures and currency as further reforms in favor of cooperatives over private business seem likely in the coming months.

     Nikutabi Today is an independent local newspaper in the Tropican capital that covers news, culture, politics, economics and sport

[jamescfm]

Women’s Bonanza players to receive equal pay in world first
16 November 5430

Female players in the upcoming season of the Hundred Ball Bonanza will receive equal pay with their male counterparts. As a result of the change, the Bonanza will become the first franchise cricket league in the world to offer equal pay to both genders. The announcement follows a change to the structure of the Bonanza earlier this year. Contracted players and staff will now be entitled to part ownership of their franchises.

The debate surrounding gender equality in cricket has been ongoing for many years. When it was originally created almost seventeen years ago, the Bonanza made the novel decision to schedule men’s and women’s matches on the same day. Fans were able to watch both matches for the price of a single ticket. The policy has increased attendances at women’s matches but there is disagreement about the extent to which it has promoted the women’s game more generally.

Sports minister Palantina Loko put pressure on the governing body in July to achieve equal pay by the end of next year. When asked about the issue, she said it was “disappointing and frustrating” the cricket was behind other sports in terms of achieving equal pay. Captain of the Tropican men’s national team Ariki Hamutana offered his support for equal pay in the wake of the announcement. “Women don’t play shorter matches than men,” he told reporters, “and they certainly don’t train with any less intensity, why should they not receive equal renumeration?”

The Tropican Daily Dispatch is an independent daily newspaper that covers topics including politics, economics, culture and sport