NationStates Jolt Archive

Times of Navarre

OOC: Well, time for me to get a news thread up I guess, based on the most popular old style print newspaper in the Commonwealth, the Times of Navarre. This will serve as a basic news thread, providing comment for other RPs, a place for announcements (and any public statements that follow), maybe a few humorous pieces and as a away of dropping hints about future developments.

From the Inside Page

FCR Announces Plan to Issue Credit and Investment Rating Scores

The Freethinker Central Reserve (FCR) has announced today that it is begin providing independent credit ratings for foreign and domestic companies and national government as well as providing general assessments for the security of investments in foreign nations. These ratings will be provided for any economic body for a nominal fee. The ratings system has been devised to provide Freethinker national and international banking houses and investors with a clearer picture of the safety of potential investments as well as providing any firm with a rating a secure and impressive proof of their financial security and business prospects.

Said FCR Chairwoman Amelia Dankport, “What we are offering here are independent, thorough economic assessments of various bodies to help provide a clearer picture of the economic strengths and vulnerabilities of investments and loans to economic actors. Essentially, we are working to provide an international standard in credit rating to help reduce the uncertainties and risks of international trade and investment, our bit, if you will, to help stimulate and sustain international economic ties and growth.”

Dankport also emphasised the independent nature of the FCR, distinct in the main from the Freethinker Government, as a primary advantage, saying that there were few bodies that could provide a similarly neutral and comprehensive service to the wider economic community. The ratings will be by application only, however, with every application undergoing a thorough economic review. The system, ultimately, in Dankport’s words, “relies upon the integrity of these ratings. Our reputation will be based upon our ability to accurately predict and help protect the investments of domestic and foreign financial institutions.”

The system will rate companies, governments and national economic environments on three separate scales.

Governments will be rated on a four stage scale, based on the government’s fiscal history, economic performance, government policy, reserves and liabilities, taxation powers, future and past economic indicators. Non-economic factors such as political stability, the performance of neighbouring trade economies, corruption and potential future trends in these areas will also be incorporated into the rating system.

National economies will have similar but broader criteria, including non-governmental social aspects taken into account. The primary purpose of these ratings is to assess the general economic friendliness of the national economy and the security of investments and firms within it.

Company ratings are considered to be the primary attraction of the policy for foreign investors, and these ratings will look at the past and future trends for a company and make a rating decision, including past investment payouts and loan repayments, future markets, firm expansions and cost cutting, ability of management and economies of scale within the firm. Again, a formal ratings scale is still being ironed out, but will be similar to other credit rating systems.

Applicants and other enquirers have been asked to contact the statistics at the Freethinker Central Reserve for more information. The benefits that these ratings will bring, if indeed positive and high for the said body, will include a higher attractiveness for investments, better terms for loans from various financial bodies, an improved reputation overall and a greater attraction to foreign buyers for their respective products and services.

The FCR has been criticised for these proposals, with some domestic and foreign critics laying deep scorn on the claims of independence of the Reserve. The FCR has dismissed such claims in previous press conferences, but has yet to make a formal announcement on the subject.



From the Business Section

Planning Permission Granted For New Pilonese Super Casino in Navarre

Planning permission has been granted by the Gothabia Local Authority for the construction of a new super-casino to be run by the Pilonese conglomerate the ‘Phoenix Corporation’. The new casino complex, with an estimated capacity in the tens of millions, is hoped to be another major entertainment coup for the Gothabia district of Navarre, an area rapidly re-branding itself as a major tourist and entertainment centre.

“This represents yet another major new opportunity for job creation and wealth generation,” Said GLA spokesperson Melissa Formosan, “as well as once again improving multinational links and improving upon the already vast array of attractions in our fair city. We are proud to welcome the Phoenix Corporation to Navarre” she continued.

The GLA has been very keen to ensure this entertainment complex is built, hoping to prevent a slow down in economic growth in the region that had begun to rear its head last year, blamed on more thrifty spending patterns and a fall in maritime trade because of various international events. Although traffic has begun to pick up, rival facilities in Dardanion and even The Docklands districts have eaten at the return of major hedonistic spending in their neighbours across the Basin. Public Safety and Religious groups have also been out in force as opposed to the plans, although the protests, given the relatively quick nature of the application process had little time to bear. All that remains now is for the site to be cleared and developed. Local construction companies are reporting a windfall of new contracts, further reinforcing the economic case in the eyes of the GLA.

From the Front Page

Barham To Stand Down Before Next Election - Official

The Press Office of Sir Theodore Barham has today confirmed rumours that the aging Prime Minister well step down as leader at the next election, and will hold office from now only up until the new leadership process has produced a viable leader for the party. The announcement has been, although expected in some parts, a major blow to the Liberal Democrats in the run-up to the next General Election.

This resignation starts what many call the final chapter on the sixteen year term of office of Sir Barham, a descendant of John Barham himself and one of the longest and in the eyes many most successful Ministerial leaders in Freethinker history. A young partisan in the wake of the Midlonian occupation in the early 1950’s, and following this by a stint in the royal Navy, Barham began a long and distinguished political career that saw him become Secretary of Education, Minister of Defence, and the Minister of the Interior before coming into power two years after the Liberal Democrats won their first election as principal party 18 years ago. The success of the party in Government, especially in the first decade of Barham’s authority were marked by sustained and impressive economic growth, low inflation, and low unemployment, along with a general fall in crime waits and significant and generally successful reforms of the health and infrastructure services.

Barham’s resignation therefore is seen by many perhaps as the possible beginning of a downfall of the Liberals as the principal party of governments. The Liberal Democrats have been stung by this confirmation despite the expectation of many analysts, and with the popularity of the Conservatives in particular rising in perception of the Liberal Democrat’s pacifism and lack of ability in the international arena have left them falling against all the other major parties. The meteoric rise of Dame Farahind in particular has exemplified the changing nature of Freestian politics and its movement over the last couple of years towards a more right wing, almost interventionist edge.

Barham’s legacy has been praised on a bipartisan level and most fellow party leaders including Ms Farahind have praised Sir Barham’s contribution to Freethinker society. Indeed the only heckles came from his own backbenchers, and shouts of betrayal were overheard, especially as in the wake of Barham himself there seems few viable leadership candidates. Several senior figures including Broxtowe, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, have already and emphatically distanced themselves from the position, and this lack of unity behind any one camp has been quoted as evidence of an increasing split within the party itself, especially in the wake of the haphazard introduction of the last major trade reform.

Continued Page 12

From the Entertainment Section

’Wings of Liberty’ Fails to Soar

Simon Phoenix’s ‘Wings of Liberty’ is a new Allanean film taking a very one-sided and personal view of the nation’s war with Gods Own, following the story of two Allanean military personnel (looking more like shampoo models than soldiers) who fall in love within the confines of the larger military conflict and live, in almost laughable contrast to the main events of the film, happily ever after. It is, surprisingly, not as bad as it sounds, though only just.

The controversy surrounding the film seems well intentioned, and the treatment given to what was basically civilian slaughter is quite terrifying for the neutral observer, but given as this film never seeks to justify or explain what is essentially a backdrop event in this tale it is possible to be ignored for the moment. It is essentially the clichéd story of love on the battlefield, and Phoenix in fairness, despite the atrocious script he seems to have produced, at least knows what is drawing the crowds in, and it isn’t the soft and subtle romance of the leads. Expect lots of testosterone fuelled action of dubious artistic value and lacking even the basic vestiges of common sense, and use the occasional romantic or the interesting love-making scenes to go grab some more popcorn or hit the bathroom.

On a purely technical basis, the film holds up reasonably well, and the implausible but fun action sequences make decent use of the budget and provide by far the majority of the entertainment that can be derived from watching this ongoing cinematic masturbation for the Allanean psyche. Camera angles and editing are decent, but any attempt at pictorial subtlety is noticeably absent, and the soundtrack probably causes dogs to whimper within miles of the cinema screen. That Allaneans don’t do subtlety is, perhaps the most obvious subtext of both the story and the direction..

So, worth seeing? It has its appeal for action fans and the tweens can probably trick their better halves into thinking it has romantic merits long enough to get them seated. Disturbing on occasions and technically flawed in detail, but like most things Allanean surprisingly enjoyable after intaking sufficient quantities of alcohol or narcotics. Watchable for mindless action fans and Phoenix’s cult followers, but little appeal for anyone else. Still, not quite the history-rape that was ‘Pearl Harbor‘, so at least we have some small mercies to be thankful for.

Stars: **(2/5)

Opening in wide release on Thursday 12th with medium spread; rated ’15’ for violence, sexual content and language.

From the Front Page

Negotiations End, Colony Future Decided

Pleased Freethinker Government officials have declared a successful end to negotiations with several foreign governments over the future territorial ownership of the troubled Freethinker Martian Territory, and will in the subsequent be facilitating a handover to the Non-Democratic Alliance under the oversight of The Dominion. The Freestian colony, whose dramatic and impressive establishment was the flagship of Freethinker first phase colonisation efforts has sadly been unable to live up to the promises of the Barham government as it failed to recoup the major economic investment placed into setting up and expanding the colony.

“Though we can walk away with our heads held high and with a new found knowledge of the needs, trials and will required to establish off world colonies, we can no longer afford to continue the significant subsidisation of the colony,” reported Sir Alex Broxtowe, the Foreign Minister, “and therefore it was in the mutual interest of both the FMT and the Commonwealth as a whole that a transfer of power be made to a friendly, liberal regime for both the future security of the colony and to allow the expansion of the Freethinker colonisation effort beyond the Solar system.”

A variety of factors, including the investment required for both creating the kilometre thick pykrete shelf that covers the majority of the territory, the uneconomic constraints of seafloor resource extraction, and the myriad of security concerns that force a disproportionately large section of the Freethinker Space Command’s assets to be stationed in the area, a further drain on the financial investment in the colony that looked in the recent months nigh on fiscally irresponsible.

“It is perhaps an unfortunate legacy for the leader of the house,” spoke Farahind in the day’s afternoon Parliamentary session, “but not an unexpected one. I am pleased to note the Prime Minister’s responsible attitude and only hope this continues with regard to ensuring the future safety and personal security of the colonists who have chosen to remain behind. We are proud and stand in unison behind the right honourable gentlemen in his dedication to furthering future Freethinker expansion efforts.” Farahind, incidentally, currently sits on the Haven Colonisation Committee, and has expressed similar opinions in the past to Barham’s purported faltering over the colonisation issue.

Some groups have objected to the takeover, the Seventh of April group in particular harshly critical of the Freethinker Government for not ensuring the transfer to an “accountable, democratic ally” in opposition to the move that would see around a million remaining colonists moving under the sovereign umbrella of the NDA. Barham has dismissed these critiques with familiar aplomb, pointing out the guarantee of cherished rights was a vital point in negotiations and the comparatively healthy nature of Dominion society compared to possible alternatives.

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