Isselmere
27-11-2003, 06:35
It's rare than an act of Parliament can cause such a stir, but when King Robert VI gave assent to the Act to Establish an Isselmerian Space Agency yesterday, the streets of Daurmont filled with people. Protesters gathered outside Parliament to demand the Act's repeal, while supporters gathered outside Wentworth Palace to cheer the surprised King. University students clashed with one another over future job prospects and funding priorities. Meanwhile, businesses clamoured to the Ministry of Development's offices on Pechtas Road to vie for lucrative government contracts.
"Why the hell are we bothering with space?" Judy Kwok (MP, LDP-Ridgemont West) demanded. "Our schools are pleading for funding, hard drugs are plaguing even middle-class neighbourhoods, and the government wants to send people to the moon?"
"People are taking this out of context." Prime Minister Geoffrey Walmsley (MP, CP-Onduin Downs) says he can't understand the fuss. "Everyone complains about how there are only eight TV stations, how hard it is to make cell-phone calls. You need satellites for a strong infrastructure, and business needs a way out of this recession. A little restructuring is necessary to keep up with the world."
Stuart Gorey (MP, LP-Daurmont Centre) argues it isn't the program that's at issue, but who's in charge. "The government's handing everything to business. Most of the money's ending up in some managing director's pocketbook. Sure, business says they'll support it, but only at the cost of the workers. Already unions are complaining about the loss of hard-won health benefits because of the 'need to restructure to meet this challenge.' [expletive deleted."
Time will tell who is right, especially as it will likely take at least a decade to design a test rocket.
This has been Sandy Herzog for IBC News.
"Why the hell are we bothering with space?" Judy Kwok (MP, LDP-Ridgemont West) demanded. "Our schools are pleading for funding, hard drugs are plaguing even middle-class neighbourhoods, and the government wants to send people to the moon?"
"People are taking this out of context." Prime Minister Geoffrey Walmsley (MP, CP-Onduin Downs) says he can't understand the fuss. "Everyone complains about how there are only eight TV stations, how hard it is to make cell-phone calls. You need satellites for a strong infrastructure, and business needs a way out of this recession. A little restructuring is necessary to keep up with the world."
Stuart Gorey (MP, LP-Daurmont Centre) argues it isn't the program that's at issue, but who's in charge. "The government's handing everything to business. Most of the money's ending up in some managing director's pocketbook. Sure, business says they'll support it, but only at the cost of the workers. Already unions are complaining about the loss of hard-won health benefits because of the 'need to restructure to meet this challenge.' [expletive deleted."
Time will tell who is right, especially as it will likely take at least a decade to design a test rocket.
This has been Sandy Herzog for IBC News.