Quote:Not at all; as you likely know, we formed the FRSC to recognize our own good luck in having at least enough and to see that the safety net is repaired and remains in place so no one has to live forever in poverty. The Justice Minister, Bashir ibn Ortoq, said that being the case, how about taking over Pensions and Benefits where you can be sure the purposes of the FRSC can be fulfilled no strings attached.
 
I believe Justice Minister Ortoq really is serious about rebuilding a government that is better for everyone and is  not just a tool of the surviving oligarchy.  As you know, the FRSC is very suspicious of the motives of many in the WMG.
 
What my Ministry staff will be doing initially is identifying every source of approval for governmental pensions and monetary benefits and the ministerial appropriations supporting them.  Then we will work with the Finance Ministry to see that all government payments are through accounts in Central Bank.  We will then recommend to the National Assembly that approval authority for payments either be handled as part of our Ministry or by a specific agency in another part of the government.  Payrolls for instance.
 
We know some funds are paid out extremely slowly and some appropriations have dried up. We know unemployment and medical claims are not being handled in an orderly and timely manner. And there is always some corruption; not as much as the enemies of government would have you believe, but there is always some.
 
So to answer your question, I believe this an opportunity to get on with doing what the Free Radical Supper  Club exists for.
 

Quote:First, we are organizing tax collection and centralizing tax receipt in Central Bank accounts for the Treasury of Jumhuriat al-Badara, Right now tax payments are made to bank accounts all over both islands and even in some foreign nations. Some payments are even going to bogus accounts many of which are online only.  For the time being all valid national level tax payments will go to Treasury accounts in Central Bank. All. Think it is clear this a necessary step.
 
Second, our oil reserves were again nationalized by the departed government. So the Sovereign People of Jumhuriat al-Badara do again own the oil reserves. In order to provide for the domestic needs of our people and provide funding for investing in raising the standard of living, it is the feeling of a majority of the National Assembly that the system inaugurated by the Free Radical Government some 900 years ago is the best way to do this. Further it is within the parameters of our current constitution so we will be implementing it.
 
Third, payments by the government are being made from accounts in many different banks by many different officials. We will be consolidating the payment source as accounts operated by Ministries with appropriated funds. Initially we will work very closely with the Ministry of Pensions and Benefits to insure authorized payments are actually made and over time see that all Ministries are part of the system
 
Which brings us to what your question is really about; will the Central Bank be independent?  That question is because of the widely respected opinion that a nation must have an independent central bank or its currency will be unstable and its economy will languish. The independence in that idea  is about setting interest rates for government lending and buying and selling treasury bonds
 
We are a small nation coming out of a period of international isolation, economic stagnation and dysfunctional government.  Our aim is to bring fiscal order out of chaos without bringing misery to the Sovereign People.  So for the time being the Central Bank will be under control of the Finance Ministry not free to pursue its own goals.  Success could well give us the option to have  interest rates and buying and selling Treasury debt determined  by an independent board but that time is not now.
 
Another project with which we will deal as soon as possible is replacing our diminutive currency.  The BDR has about run its course so the plan is to replace it with a Dinar worth at least 20 times as much and with the Dinar subdivided into fulus.

Quote:We have been decaying in isolation for a while and intend to rejoin the Majatran community and perhaps overtime the Terran community.  Trading partners are what we need; so we will be reviewing our trade agreements to see what is still extant, what can be revived and who we need to approach.
 
We will see if we are eligible for the South Majatran Economic Organization which could be a good way to rekindle our trade with Majatra.

We will also be looking into whether the Majatran Security Cooperation Organization is still viable while also looking to see what non aggression pacts we still have.  Expect this will be quite a job.

Quote:Making sure the Procurement and the Legislative Liaison Divisions of the Ministry are functional and then being sure the Army, Navy and Air Force Staffs are working properly. 
 
Then we need to see if New Dawn Aeronautics can be revived from operating as a state owned commercial aircraft manufacturer to restoration as our principal military contractor.  Too soon to tell but I am hopeful.

Quote:We have applied for membership in SOMECO. We may not be eligible but we shall see. Hope we are admitted.  While there are only two members, both are important to our interaction with Majatra.  The Grand Empire of Deltaria was a traditional ally militarily and economically of Jumhuriat al-Badara for many years, and the Majalite Kingdom of Kafuristan shares our opportunities and difficulties with responsible use of vast petroleum reserves and is like us one of the very few Ahmadi nations of Terra.
 
We do hope for increasing our trade to more nations of Majatra, but SOMECO can be a beginning.
 
One thing we can say has been accomplished is we are back in the Majatran Pharmaceutical Network (MPN)  of which Jumhuriat al-Badara was the primary founder years ago.  The Health Ministry participation is handled through the Finance Ministry until a Health Minister is elected.  This keeps prices down and gives us access to medication beyond our own border.
 
Considering the MSCO is more nuanced. Obviously as a small nation coming out of isolation and hoping to return to prosperity, non aggression pacts would be very helpful.  Maybe even essential.  Many years ago this was our essential security alliance.  And the mutual defense pact therein helped Jumhuriat al-Badara survive invasion by Ahmadi religious berserkers from throughout Terra.  In fact the ongoing influx of berserkers was halted not by our armed forces but by naval units of the Grand Empire acting in response to the provisions of the MSCO.
 
But now we are not sure if it merely serves the Migrant’s Pass Accords or is truly still a defensive alliance.  What we are doing under the circumstances is approaching potential allies about non aggression pacts. Should we discover we need to rejoin the MSCO we will apply to do so. 

Quote:Well there are two specific reasons for it.  New Dawn Nashwa (NDN) and Qat Oil Services (QOS). The Defense Minister really needs to have NDN go back into building military aircraft, and really believes it would greatly facilitate this to get back the old management and talent pool.
 
QOS is now internationally based operating most recently in Lake Majatra and the Odufart Sea. A member of the family of one of the board members is the contact the government has with QOS. Removing the size restriction on corporations and other business entities will allow QOS to again operate in Jumhuriat al-Badara which Finance Minister Faisal Abu Saq is convinced is vital for us to reenter the Majatran economy.
 
The amendment does essentially three things. First, it removes the size restriction on private rather than public ownership of the means of production. 
 
Second, the nation can nationalize.  If an enterprise becomes unsound that is producing things we need which are not available from others, we will nationalize it.  But not just for sake of creditors or employees or owners. But no nationalizing for sake of nationalizing.
 
Third, owners that had their companies nationalized may repurchase it from the government using the valuations employed in the nationalization. So if took it for pennies and government now says superhot, former owners get a break. If owners managed to get tons of loot, well, then that’s what they’ll pay to get it back.

Quote:We believe other needed government reforms are permissible within existing framework of the current constitution.  We have not yet addressed the future legality of political parties or paramilitary units so how to deal with those items has yet to be determined.