New Englia

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Re: New Englia

Postby imperialpearl » Wed Nov 30, 2022 10:35 am

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    By any margin, New Englia has no formal right to claim any applause or accolades for environmental consciousness, nor for any sort of forward-thinking as it relates to the means by which the nation derives much of its electricity. Whilst numerous nations throughout the world have been gradually making their respective transitions away from fossil fuels, and aggressively pursuing “green agendas”, New Englia has bolted in the opposite direction. Whilst nations such as Lourenne, North Dovani, Loire and Tropica have made formidable leaps in their transitions from renewable energy, New Englia’s appetite for fossil fuels continued to grow as the nation saw a 35% increase in the importation of coal and natural gas from sources primarily outside of the Dovanian region, with some estimates projecting a 3-4% increase in the coming half-decade. Based on this trajectory, should New Englia continue along this path, the nation is expected to become one of eastern dovani’s largest carbon emitters. For the coalition comprising of the Labour Party and the eco-socialist Worker’s Party, the question of environmental sustainability, most notably on setting realistic and attainable targets for both carbon emission reduction and “green uptake”, takes centre stage. Compared to other nations on the continent, progress in creating a “Green New Englia” has been sluggish at best and near immobile at worse. In its report on the future of energy in New Englia, the Center for Public Policy Research posits that the historically strong coal and natural gas lobbies have stifled any meaningful movement towards a green transition under previous administrations. “The likelihood of a seamless transition to renewables is unlikely as those who have benefited from the status quo [notably the coal and natural gas lobbies] will be among the first to cast omens of doom and gloom at the prospect of a green economy,” the report read. It notes that as a result of persistent lobbying, environmental action groups have had little room to make the case for a green transition, let alone convince the government to at least commit to emissions and uptake targets, be they realistic or unrealistic. Alongside strong lobbying which one can only describe as a culture of corruption among the nation’s energy policymakers, the public perception of a green transition also plays a role in its undoing. For those working in the nation’s coal and natural gas-fired power plants, a green transition would mean unemployment as an immediate consequence of a green transition would be the scaling back of production and the subsequent decommissioning of said plants. For the communities which benefit from the business of these plants, be it directly through employment or indirectly through the provision of goods and services to said plants, this spells economic hardship and a potential backstepping in their standard of living and quality of life. This perception is reinforced by the fact that the environmentally moderate Labour party secured an absolute majority compared to the more aggressive/hardline Worker’s Party.

    For the most part, New Englia has enjoyed a steady and near uninterrupted supply of both coal and natural gas from Aloria and Dorvik respectively, owing to the nation’s comfortable relationship with both nations. However, the means by which New Englia can access said coal and natural gas, namely via the use of foreign exchange is tightening. According to the Bank of New Englia, between energy imports and food imports, New Englia’s import cover (i.e. the amount of foreign currency the nation has to pay for imported goods and services) is shrinking. It noted that the previous price spike caused by the spat between Deltaria and Trigunia had drained a significant amount of the nation’s much-needed foreign reserves. “Although the economy has seen some (around 0.3%) economic growth in the previous decade on aggregate, such growth figures have had a minor impact on rebuilding the nation’s foreign exchange reserves,” the bank said. It warned that should another price spike occur over a sustained period of time, it could potentially cause a balance of payments crisis and would force the New Englian government to default on much of its foreign loans (they were themselves made out to be used to buy coal and natural gas). “New Englia services many of its loans using foreign exchange, and with coal and natural gas eating away at said reserves and leaving less for other important imports such as food, we are sleepwalking into a crisis of our own doing,” explained Tiernan Ahren, a researcher at the University of Ardue. It is against the backdrop of a potential balance of payments crisis, that the Labour party had campaigned for a “just transition” away from fossil fuels. “Apart from being beneficial to the environment, the use of renewable energy in New Englia gives us an opportunity to attain some semblance of energy security/independence as we will no longer become dependent on imports from extra-regional territories. By doing so we remove a unique vulnerability from the national economic psyche. With foreign exchange being freed up, we then seriously focus on improving our food security because similar to our energy situation, we have become far too dependent on food imports whilst our “food import bill” continues to increase and our foreign exchange reserves continue to shrink,” explained Ross O'Murry, a research with the Labour Party Research Group (LPRG). New Englia’s energy mix (as of 5218) is comprised of 54% gas, 25% coal, 17% peat and 4% other sources including minor renewable, namely hydroelectricity, wind and solar. If there is to be a green transition, there is certainly a lot of work to be done, notwithstanding the need for ambitious, yet realistic targets.
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Re: New Englia

Postby imperialpearl » Thu Dec 01, 2022 10:19 am

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    At a press conference held at the Cabinet Offices in Lonmouth, Secretary of State for Finance and the Treasury Erica Miller announced that the cabinet had decided to appoint Harriet Down, as the next Governor of the Bank of New Englia, succeeding Elijah O'Lenaghan as the first woman to hold the substantive position since the bank’s creation. The appointment, according to some financial analysts, ends months of uncertainty brought on by O'Lenaghan’s announcement of his intention to resign, citing concerns about his deteriorating health. Although the position had been left vacant during the previous electoral campaign and the bank was primarily governed by Arthur MacBreen, the Deputy Governor, Down’s appointment brings a sense of certainty to the New Englian market, which Secretary Miller states would work towards improving the nation’s financial position in the interim. During his time as Acting Governor, MacBreen had been viewed as a confident replacement for O'Lenaghan, having served under the previous Governor for 5 years and having been a senior official within the bank for more than 15 years. In a statement seemingly lost in the noise of the general election, MacBreen stated that he had no intention of serving as the bank’s governor, and would retire once a new Governor was appointed, citing a more personal need to refocus much of his attention on his familial obligations. Down’s appointment, although historic as she will be the first woman to serve as governor, has been described as a glass cliff, as she will not only take the reigns of the Bank during a period of economic transition but will do so with little independence. To a large degree, politics continues to dictate the bank’s monetary policy as the Bank must still obtain approval from the Department of Finance and the Treasury to make major monetary policy adjustments. Secretary Miller was challenged to state whether the new administration would keep the Bank of New Englia as a quasi-division of the Department of Finance and the Treasury or would become independent, however, she noted that the decision would ultimately come down to the Prime Minister and the cabinet. Harriet Down is a graduate of St. Christopher’s College, Lonmouth holding a Masters in Financial Economics and a PhD in Econometrics from the University of Ardue. A career central banker, she has been in the New Englian central banking system for more than 15 years where she held positions including Senior Economist, Director, Macroeconomic Research and most recently the bank’s Chief Economist. In a brief statement following the news of her appointment, Down stated that she intended to “get down to the business of stabilising New Englia’s financial markets” and continue to push the government towards increasing the bank’s independence noting that: “We need to stop playing politics with the people’s livelihoods. From mortgages for loans to consumption, all are influenced by the bank’s monetary policy decisions, thus it would not be out of place for us to ask that such decisions remain entirely up to the bank’s technocrats instead of politicians.”
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Re: New Englia

Postby imperialpearl » Fri Dec 02, 2022 10:29 am

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    By embarking on his first major tour since being elected, Prime Minister Darren Martin will confront one of the nation's most contentious and complex challenges: New Englia's relationship with its immediate and not-so-immediate neighbours. Having campaigned on a platform of bringing about a complex overall to the established economic order on the continent, re-connecting New Englia to the Dovanian economic conduit remains an important step in seeing such a promise come to pass. Accompanied by both Secretary of State for Foreign and Dovanian Affairs David Varkandar and Secretary of State for International Trade and Economic Development Dr Alison O’Connor, Prime Minister Martin's visit begins in Ostland, one of the largest economies in the region, and what many consider to be an obvious potential ally for New Englia. The visit represents the first time a New Englian Prime Minister has visited another nation since its independence. Naturally, it has been considered a major boon for the nation's foreign policy to seek out a deeper, closer friendship with one of the region's more prosperous nations. Prime Minister Martin is expected to meet with Ostlandic State Minister Ulrich Hammesfahr, Minister of Dovani and Foreign Affairs Emil Rottmayr and Minister of Economics and Finance Annika Mittermeier. It is expected that during these meetings, both Ostland and New Englia will sign an agreement formally establishing diplomatic relations between both nations. "Re-engagement with the wider region is becoming an increasingly integral part in our foreign policy. As we build out our vision of New Englia's role in the Dovanian region, forming strong bonds with like-minded nations is as equally important as marking the boundaries of our involvement in the goings-on of this region," Secretary Varkandar said in a statement prior to the delegation's departure. Aside from establishing diplomatic ties, and economic and security relationship will also be forged between both states. With a review of the New Englian intelligence community upcoming, Secretary Varkandar believes that the newfound relationship between Ostland and New Englia could potentially transform the regional security environment as the intelligence agencies of both nations work towards combating terrorist organisations. On the economic front, Secretary O'Connor stated that there was much room for cooperation among New Englian and Ostlandic firms. With the government in the infancy of its plan to revive the national economy through export-oriented industrialisation, O'Connor believes that Ostland's highly specialised economy could offer potential examples for growth, most notably in manufacturing. To continue to represent the interests of the New Englian government in Ostland, Secretary Varkandar announced Cormac MacGannon as New Englian Ambassador to Ostland.

    Following the historic visit to Ostland, Prime Minister Martin and his delegation are expected to land in Bazgaristan (also known as Xsampa). Similar to Ostland, the visit would mark the first time a New Englian Prime Minister would visit the nation since independence. Nonetheless, the visit provides the Prime Minister with a degree of comfort he could not have truly expressed in Ostland. Whereas his visit to Ostland will primarily focus on securing New Englia's political and economic prospects on the Dovanian continent and within the Dovanian economy, his visit to Bazgaristan is expected to be more relaxed as he explained. "Here are two of the region's rising economies, breaking free from decades of malaise and marching boldly into unimaginable possibilities." The return of political stability in an underwise historically unstable nation is a considerable boon to regional diplomacy. During the visit, Prime Minister Martin will meet with President Karlani Qalat where similar to his plans for Ostland, both Bazgaristan and New Englia will sign an agreement formally establishing diplomatic relations between both nations. Recently, the Bazgaristani parliament, the People's Council, approved a series of pro-Dovani legislation aimed at increasing the nation's involvement in regional trade including an act to begin the process which would see Bazgaristan enter the Dovani Pact. "There is certainly room for deeper cooperation on matters related to defence and trade between our two nations. With the Government of Bazgaristan getting its house in order, it is signalling to the region and the wider world that it is prepared to become an active participant in regional and potentially global affairs," Secretary Varkandar said.
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Re: New Englia

Postby imperialpearl » Fri Dec 02, 2022 6:13 pm

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    In what many hope will become a more permanent feature of parliamentary democracy in New Englia, Prime Minister Darren Martin convened a meeting of the First Ministers of North Englia, Dunnard and South Englia in a bid to provide a clear picture to the provincial governments to his government’s plans going forward. The meeting is the first “summit” of first ministers in New Englia’s history and represents a departure from previous administrations which had little to no formal discussions with the provincial governments. Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Intergovernmental Affairs Paul O'Heffernan, who alongside Prime Minister Martin, conceptualised the summit, stated that the gathering was established to discuss the shared priorities of New Englia, to address and mediate disputes and to include the provincial governments on issues of national importance. During the meeting, Prime Minister Martin discussed his plans for the New Englian economy. According to minutes from the 1st day, the Prime Minister stated that he intended to change the foundation of the New Englian, by leveraging new economic sectors against those of the “old economy”. Presentations from the First Minister of South Englia, Adeline Matthews, First Minister of Dunnard Peter O'Donnell and First Minister of North Englia Daithí O'Gallagher were made, each providing detailed analyses of their economic situations. In South Englia, low agricultural production due in part to troubles related to imported fertilizer has resulted in a general slowing of the province’s agriculture-based economy. A collapse in exports due to the decrease in agricultural production was also attributed to low growth figures according to First Minister Matthews. In Dunnard, a lack of market access, most notably to the larger consumer economies of the KU, Indrala and Artania alongside a collapse in demand for manufactured products, most notably New Englian steel has been identified as the principles reasons behind the province’s economic performance over the previous decade. According to First Minister O'Donnell, with manufacturing being one of the key industries of New Englia, deindustrialisation and outsourcing would continue to erode the sector and thus contribute to continued economic hardship in New Englia. Of the three presentations given, North Englia was the most promising. Although the province’s economy is not tied to a specific sector in the same manner in which South Englia is tied to agriculture and Dunnard to manufacturing, the province offers a small, yet diversified economy in two main areas: research and the green economy. According to First Minister O'Gallagher, the province was the only one of three to see positive growth in the previous decade, albeit around 0.8% on aggregate. The three first ministers lamented the lack of support from the central government on matters pertaining to economic growth under previous administrations. “It is clear that there needs to be some form of an overarching plan for New Englia which includes opportunities for the provinces to contribute to economic growth,” posited First Minister O'Gallagher. Secretary of State for Finance and the Treasury Erica Miller and Secretary of State for International Trade and Economic Development Dr Alison O’Connor stated that the central government was committed to ensuring economic planning became an extremely important pillar in new englian development. In a press conference alongside the First Ministers, Secretary Miller said: “We are currently in consultation with numerous stakeholders on the creation of an Economic Planning Board which will most likely be an entity independent of the central government, on the same level we are hoping to see the Bank of New Englia; independent-yet commanding a great deal of authority on economic development matters. Most certainly it will be an entity overseen by the Departments of Finance and the Treasury, International Trade and Economic Development and of course a parliamentary committee on economic development which we hope to establish soon.”
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Re: New Englia

Postby imperialpearl » Sat Dec 03, 2022 8:40 am

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    In early July, acting on intelligence from the Serious, Complex and Organised Crime Agency (SCOCA), members of PSNE raided a warehouse in Kindee, North Englia where alongside numerous kilograms of cocaine, they discovered a large cache of weapons and ammunition, the largest find in New Englian history. Two weeks later, two men were shot and killed at a supermarket in Balnard, thought to be the potential tipsters who gave the warehouse’s location to SCOCA. Following this, a nursey and a secondary school had to be evacuated as two rival gangs, engaged in a brutal shootout thought to be in response to the PSNE raid. These stories are about a snapshot of the increasingly violent nature of organised crime in New Englia. What was once one of the safest countries in eastern dovani is rapidly becoming the epicentre of gun violence on the continent as weapons from unstable neighbours and extra-regional territories, fuel a growing feud between two of the nation’s most notorious rival gangs: the O’Lynn Band and the Byrne Gang. Data from SCOCA revealed that in the past decade, New Englia saw a 45% increase in firearms-related offences and a 20% increase in homicides. The agency attributes much of these statistics to the current “war” between the O’Lynns and the Byrnes. Acting Director of the SCOCA Harvey MacBreen, the illegal drugs trade with which New Englia has become a major transhipment point into Artania, has primarily fueled the nation’s firearms epidemic. “The drugs trade is extremely profitable for the various gangs of New Englia, especially the O’Lynn Band and the Byrne Gang. With these drugs come both firearms and violence as parties vie for control over major distribution hubs.” With criminals having increasingly easy access to high-powered rifles, and with homicides and firearms-related offences on the rise, the resource of the critically understaffed and underequipped PSNE is struggling to stem the tide. General Secretary of the Police Service Association Mark Truss stated that between poor equipment, poor training and/or low pay, PSNE officers are becoming increasingly uneasy with both the state of the police service and its fight against criminality. “Low morale among officers damages efforts to thwart crime. The current state of the service dissuades officers from going out and getting it down. That affects investigations and it puts the public at considerable risk.” Currently, the process for choosing a Commissioner for the PSNE has begun after former Commissioner Filip Bodkin resigned following a string of shootings earlier this year. Christopher Morrison, Deputy Commissioner of the PSNE has been appointed as the Acting Commissioner until the process is complete. Candidates for Commissioner include the head of the PSNE Counter-Terrorism Command Douglas Pearce, the head of Territorial Policing Toby O'Dolan and the head of Professional Standards Pippa Burns. With a lack of statutory leadership for PSNE, decisions, as it relates to potential changes to the services modus operandi, have been stymied. Secretary of State for Home Affairs Victor MacGrath stated that questions related to increased funding for PSNE and SCOCA were on the table for discussion as the government prepares for its first major budget. With rumours of a potential intensification to the current stream of violence by the O’Lynns and Byrnes, one could only hope that a new commissioner could rescue PSNE from its current malaise and turn the tide against this seemingly unstable wave of violence.
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Re: New Englia

Postby imperialpearl » Mon Dec 05, 2022 11:17 pm

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    The coming decades and centuries will prove extremely important to the future of New Englia. Amidst the mismanagement and general incompetence of previous administrations, and the ensuing socioeconomic train wreck that followed much of the decisions enacted by the nation's former conservative political class, any plan for the reconstruction of the New Englian economy would need to be bold, wide-reaching, and swift. It will require the collective/combined energies of the nation's political class and a collective commitment among those within positions of power to see much of the necessary reforms to their completion, regardless of how difficult the pill may be to swallow. Aside from revealing the nation's precarious economic situation, the Office of Fiscal Management's report on the state of the New Englian economy pointed to some of the nation's more systemic issues including corruption, fragile institutions and weak laws governing the practices of those operating within the nation among many others. It concluded that without sensible, structural and fiscal reforms the concept of a strong economic recovery for the New Englian economy would not be materialised let alone attained. It read "The opinions of the public are noted in their yearning for a strong economic rebound. Thus it is important to note that should structural and fiscal reforms are ignored by the incoming administration, the concept of a strong economic rebound would not be materialised let alone attained." The report also pointed to the socioeconomic circumstance of many New Englians. Highlighting interim statistics from the Department of Labour and Social Services, the OFM report stated that the unemployment situation in New Englian was reaching an inflexion point, whereafter a profound and catastrophic collapse of the New Englian labour market could occur without government intervention. The report opined, "Policies enacted by the previous administration and the lack thereof, have contributed largely to the current labour market crisis. The laissez-faire attitude of the nation's previous economic managers had allowed for unemployment to exceed its socially acceptable minimum, and the lack of decisive government intervention has exacerbated the situation to proportions not seen in centuries." It predicts that the collapse of the Labour market, at the hands of laissez-faire conservative policies, could alter the socioeconomic fabric of New Englia, sending much of the nation's poor and vulnerable into absolute poverty, from which the multiplier/cascading effect could mean the potential collapse of the wider Lodamese economy.

    Grabbing the bull by the horns, Secretary of State for Finance and the Treasury Erica Miller burst out the gates with furious speed to enact her Roadmap to Recovery. Speaking at a televised address at Stockmeyers and flanked by Minister of State for Finance David O'Toole, Secretary Miller stated that one of the priorities going into the coming months was gaining consensus among the First Minister as to how the government’s economic plan would be implemented among the states. "Whilst we remain focused on stabilising the economy, we will work to develop a future economy parallel to this," Secretary Miller said during her address. She explained that the effect of deindustrialization within New Englia had been devasting with the nation's manufacturing & industrial capacity virtually destroyed as the nation's once-prominent firms move to greener pastures. Minister O’Toole explained that the economic portion of the Roadmap to Recovery was heavily focused on re-industrialising New Englia. He said, "In international trade, we've become to understand the concept of both comparative and absolute advantage. For New Englia, our comparative advantage remains our potential for industrial growth. Although throughout the states, industrial capacity has virtually collapsed, the Roadmap to Recovery sets out very clear objectives in the pursuit of re-industrialisation." Secretary Miller explained that out of the central government's re-industrialisation strategy would flow investments into infrastructure (including roads, railways etc), clean energy production, digital infrastructure and the strengthening of the national social safety net. "Although the Roadmap to Recovery may seem like a plan only to re-industrialise the nation, it is holistic in its approach to address numerous societal problems including unemployment, business growth and social welfare. Investments into these areas will flow from the over-arching principle of re-industrialisation. As we begin to pour investment into reviving our industrial potential, we will need to invest in railroads and highways to connect factories and communities, we will need to enhance the social safety net to ensure that the unemployed and our retirees are taken care of; from that will flow investment into education, healthcare and pensions." Secretary Miller said in addressing questions from the media on the scope of Roadmap to Recovery.

    Tying the nation's prospects on the regional and international stage to the performance and scope of the national economic recovery, in a statement following the press conference, Secretary of State for Foreign and Dovanian Affairs David Varkandar stated that New Englia had to reconnect itself to the global economy and begin the process of re-engagement with historic regional and international allies. Pointing to the enormous potential for rekindling the nation's relationship with nations such as Dorvik, Lourenne, North Dovani, the KU and others, Secretary Varkandar stated he intended to embark on a tour of Dovania and Artania. Secretary of State for International Trade and Economic Development Dr Alison O’Connor noted that the central government intends on following a policy of import substitution industrialization, to reduce the nation's reliance on imports and increase domestic production. She explained that the significant stress being placed on the nation's foreign exchange reserves via imports had the potential to create a current account deficit.
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Re: New Englia

Postby imperialpearl » Tue Dec 06, 2022 10:34 am

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    Amidst decades, if not centuries of stagnation, mismanagement and neglect, the New Englian Defence Force are about to undergo a major reformation phase aimed at ensuring it is prepared for the future combat environment. In a press conference alongside the newly appointed Chief of the Defence Staff, General Edward O'Carolan (NEA), Secretary of State for Defence Pippa O'Reilly announced that the government had approved a transitional budget for the Department of Defence to see through the structural and operational reforms of the Defence Forces. The budget places a strategic emphasis on a relatively small but extremely well-trained and technologically superior defence force. The emphasis comes at the heels of a sweeping audit into both the Department of Defence and the New Englian Defence Force which found that a considerable amount of its equipment had become useless due to neglect. A new regime has been introduced in the form of the Defence Material Agency, which will be responsible for procuring equipment for the New Englian Defence Force. Defence Secretary O'Reilly's reforms to the Defence Forces alongside General O'Carolan is primarily based on the defence white paper released to the general public days before his appointment to office. Coined “Forces 5300”, the document outlines the future objectives of the New Englian Defence Force: (1) humanitarian support operations (2) peacekeeping operations and (3) the defence of New Englia. According to the white paper, the three aforementioned pillars are documented underneath the doctrine of “Regional Defence". The doctrine underpins that although the interests of New Englian Defence Force should remain within the borders of New Englia, the NEDF should be prepared to conduct expeditionary warfare operations outside of the nation's borders.

    Seeking to integrate newer pieces of equipment and revamping the training regime of the New Englian Defence Force, “Forces 5300” aims to ensure that New Englia can achieve victory on the battlefield in the shortest space of time. As mentioned prior, both Defence Secretary O'Reilly and General O'Carolan are envisioning a small and nimble New Englian Defence Force. They believe that a larger New Englian Defence Force would be more difficult to “maintain” in terms of equipment, personnel and training. General O'Carolan argues that with small to moderate-sized defence forces, there is a greater possibility of mobilising units at a faster pace for numerous operations. “Forces 5300” aims to hold true to this school of thought of a small, easily mobilisable defence force albeit with technological advancements. Because the New Englian Defence will not be as numerous as the armed forces of the other nations on the Dovanian continent, there is a need to ensure that should the nation is capable of securing quick victories in potential conflicts. With conscription off of the table due to the socioeconomic debate developing among New Englia's younger population, “Forces 5100” would see to ensure that although New Englia remains relatively small in terms of numbers, it will be a hard-hitter in terms of strategy, tactics and equipment. In guiding the implementation of the “Forces 5300” plan, General O'Carolan has formally appointed the “Defence Staff”. According to officials from the Department of Defence, General O'Carolan has appointed Lt. General Josh Davis as Chief of the General Staff, Lt. General Declan Phillips as Chief of the Air Guard and Vice-Admiral Sebastian Duddy as Chief of the Naval Service.

    Some of the changes to come to the New Englian Defence Force immediately are the general organisation of the units. According to General O'Carolan, as it pertained to the New Englian Army, there would be a deviation from its traditional pure infantry division orientation towards a blend of mechanised and light infantry units. It is being stated that the New Englian Paratrooper Corps is set to return with training assistance from regional and extra-regional partners. Lt. General Davis explained that for the NEDF and to a much larger extent, the New Englian Army, to be faster as it pertained to its general mobilisation units had to become significantly lighter and mobile. He noted that paratroopers are generally deployed with only bare necessities and that mechanised units can rely upon the relative speed of their respective vehicles. The New Englian Army’s uniform is expected to undergo a major transformation programme to reflect New Englia's environment and those of the nations which surround it. From new firearms to new armoured vehicles, the New Englia Army is expected to receive the most from the “Forces 5300” plan. As it pertains to the New Englian Air Guard, a doctrinal shift would have to be introduced. According to General O'Carolan, the New Englian Air Guard has been primarily relegated to playing a minor transport role, with there being a serious lack of combat aircraft in the NEAG arsenal, the Department of Defence has noted that a request for proposals has been issued on finding New Englia's future combat aircraft. It is expected that New Englian pilots will be trained on numerous disciplines including air superiority, air interdiction, close air support and others as a means of ensuring it remains extremely flexible and capable of meeting any task.

    As it pertained to the Naval Service, General O'Carolan noted that the Navy would remain a green-water navy, however, there exist plans to transform the New Englian Naval Service into a blue-water navy in the future. According to Vice-Admiral Duddy, most of the equipment currently within the possession of the Naval Service will be moth-balled and sold for scrap, with the intention being that the Department of Defence will launch renewed contracts aimed at building the nation's surface fleet from the ground up. When questioned on the potential range of the future New Englian Naval Service, Vice-Admiral Duddy stated that for the interim operations would remain within New Englia's economic exclusion zone (EEZ), however, the acquisition of future pieces of equipment could see operations be expanded to the wider Dovanian continent.
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Re: New Englia

Postby imperialpearl » Wed Dec 07, 2022 1:35 am

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    Earlier this morning at a press conference at the cabinet offices in Lonmouth, Secretary of State for Home Affairs Victor MacGrath announced that the central government had approved the creation of a new, independent border patrol agency which it hopes will enable a more direct approach to securing the nation's borders against illegal guns and ammunition among other issues. The revelation comes amidst a groundbreaking report by the Department of Home Affairs on the effectiveness and reliability of the PSNE and the New Englian Naval Service on securing the nation's economic exclusion zone and the nation's natural, territorial borders. Coined the O'Donnell-Pearson Report, it pointed to numerous holes within the operating procedures of both entities, noting a general lack of coordination for operations and increased instances of foreign-made firearms turning up in firearms raids conducted by PSNE themselves. According to the report, although the PSNE and the Serious, Complex and Organised Crime Agency (SCOCA) had been working around the clock to stem the import of illegal firearms, large quantities were still making their way to the nation's streets among the nation's most notorious criminal gangs. The new border patrol agency, to be known as the New Englian Border Force (NEBF) would be an amalgamation of the customs and excise agency and the border patrol unit of the PSNE and would be responsible for monitoring and patrolling the nation's maritime and territorial borders. Director-General of the Border Force, Jenson Harrison stated that there was much work for the agency in turns of building capacity and enhancing its operations. At a brief press conference at the NEBF's headquarters in Lonmouth, Harrison stated that the agency intends on transforming its operations at all levels, from airport immigration services to maritime/border patrol services. He stated that he had been in deep consultation with the Department of Home Affairs on the acquisition of new equipment of the NEBF including offshore patrol vessels, patrol boats and maritime patrol helicopters. The Director-General also confirmed that he intends on signing an MoU with the SCOCA on common operations, seeking to establish clear channels of communication and cooperation between two agencies. A special tactics unit for the NEBF (to be known as the Tactical Operations Unit) is to be formed with assistance from the PSNE and the New Englian Naval Service's Special Boat Group, with the sole purpose of providing a tactical response to situations arising both out at sea and land. "Whilst we aim to ensure we continue to cooperate with our partners within both the SCOCA and the PSNE, we must ensure that we are capable of conducting independent operations without the need of tactical units/firearms officers from the PSNE," Director-General Harrison concluded.
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Re: New Englia

Postby imperialpearl » Wed Dec 07, 2022 9:11 pm

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    Riding high on their majority in the Tionól following the previous election cycle, First Minister Daithí O'Gallagher and Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy Iarla MacMurrough announced their maiden budget, in what is being dubbed by local economists as a major boom for the province's economy. Buoyed by the expansionary fiscal policy measured being rolled out by the central government, the First Minister unveiled the North Englia Labour Party's 10 Billion NEP budget to pull the provinces out of its economic malaise, primarily built on deficit financing. During a three-hour-long presentation before members of the media wherein both the First Minister and the Finance Secretary outlined the numerous policies to be introduced by the administration in both the coming fiscal year and beyond, Minister for Public Finance and Planning Tomás O'Monahan sought to silence deficit hawks by explaining that deficit spending during recessions/economic downturns was rooted in basic Kodonomics. "Whilst it may not be music to the ears of some, we are in a recession. For the past decade, we have experienced low growth and have been experiencing negative growth up to this day. The only way we can move out of this period of malaise is by expansionary fiscal policy (i.e.) we spend our way out of this, focusing on high-impact projects and programmes and pouring investment into those opportunities which will make the most return for the people of North Englia," O'Monahan explained. Among the policies introduced by the government in their 10 billion NEP budget, financing for education, healthcare and the development of new economic development programmes including manufacturing and heavy industry were majority priorities. An in-depth analysis of the budget revealed that although the budget does set the aforementioned areas as major policy initiatives going into the future, it also aims at securing smaller, yet still extremely important wins for the province including a marked reduction in the province's dependence on imported food as well as fossil fuels for power generation. When questioned on the sustainability of the First Minister's newfound interest in deficit spending, Secretary MacMurrough stated that loan financing to be sought out by the provincial government would be monitored by the Financial Management Directorate, a recently formed independent department of the province's Department of Finance and the Economy, responsible for managing the province's loan financing arrangements. It has been stated that supplemental funding is expected to come from the central government when Secretary of State for Finance and the Treasury Erica Miller completes negotiations with the other First Ministers on the amount of funding they will receive.
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Re: New Englia

Postby imperialpearl » Fri Dec 09, 2022 10:03 am

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    For South Englia, the question of how the state intends on launching a strong economic recovery is largely predicated on its ability to marshall resources and expertise in reviving the province's once-thriving agricultural sector. Amidst the central government's campaign to re-industrialise New Englia following decades of de-industrialisation, there remains room for the state to latch onto this federal re-industrialisation campaign and bring about the revival of the province's economy through the partial, yet environmentally-friendly re-industrialisation of agriculture alongside other initiatives. Speaking at a press conference following the reading of the provincial budget, First Minister Adeline Matthews stated that the province's 9 Billion NEP budget would be focused on creating new initiatives/programmes within the agricultural sector with the hopes of positioning South Englia as the key enabler in New Englia's drive towards food security. Citing statistics both from the Department of Agriculture and Marine Resources and the South Englia Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, First Minister Matthews stated that on aggregate, New Englia's import of foreign agriculture had been on the rise, with imports of meats and dairy being among the largest groups of products being brought in. She noted that the situation in South Englia was of great concern as although the province had a modest-sized agricultural sector, production had been on the decline in recent years amidst the gradual withdrawal of funding for numerous initiatives aimed at stabilising and boosting productivity levels. In seeking to bring about the sector's revival and enhance its contribution towards South Englia food security, First Minister Matthews outlined the numerous initiatives to be introduced by her administration both in the medium and long term including the creation of a seed bank, the creation of an agricultural financial agency, a collaboration between community colleges, state universities and farmers on innovative ideas for agriculture, improving physical infrastructure for agriculture including roads, drainage, water infrastructure and network infrastructure, the digital transformation of agriculture, state-run vertical farming system, loans/grants to farmers for the acquisition of agricultural machinery including combine harvesters, tractors and crop sprayers and also legislation aimed at enhancing food standards and quality control. Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture and Rural Development Clifford Keep stated that the Department had reached out to both the Kalistani Government and the Department of Agriculture and Marine Resources for technical assistance, with Keep confirming that both entities had pledged to render their support to the provincial government in areas including research and development, legislative research and in the case of the central government: enhanced funding. Although the agricultural sector will continue to remain an essential part of South Englia's economy, First Minister Matthews is expected to speak to the new frontier for the province: the green economy.
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