Antillian Parliament Thread

[lilTommy]

xBastian De Wilde

[lilTommy]

Speaker, Fellow Members,
The Cooperative Party as always espoused the philosophy that all acts and measure taken by this house should take into consideration social and environmental consequences hand-in-hand with economic ones when pursuing policies to be enacted.

The Cooperative Party will require that the commission must be presented with an environmental assessment of both a tunnel and bridge option, as to ascertain which option is the most sustainable for integration into the fragile Firth ecosystem.

The Cooperative Party believes the old, antiquated gas automobile should not be given continued priority in dictating policy and daily life in Antilla; Cooperative municipal/regional governments have been leaders in establishing expansive mass-transit systems as well as redeveloping districts of our cities into pedestrian only zones. With that said, we will only support an electrified Rail link option, preferably one that can be integrated into the national TGV network we have begun to develope nationwide.
The Antilla ferry fleet is a vital part of our national transit network, most of our large centres are along the cost  with hundreds of thousands of islanders relying on this to move about the country. With greater desire to protect farm land and expand our nation parks system, building highways is just no longer a sustainable option. Keeping our rich ferry network intact must be a priority.

The second commission is one we support, but with some trepidation as put forward by the member. We do not support any further expansion of the already uniquely healthy fishing industry, this is a resource that needs to be continued to be managed closely but cannot support any expansion outside of generational and organic growth.

As stated during the election, we strongly believe that Pitfarris and all regions within Antilla should be given regional assembly's, as this house must realize that some matters are best handled on a more local basis. We feel this is one step to greater respect and realization of the regional distinctiveness that make a unified Antilla strong.

With those points made, i look forward to continued debate and thank you for this time

[lilTommy]

Mr Bastian De Wilde

If the Speaker pleases, i'd like to address the concerns Mr Roberts has with definition of healthy, he should note that we Antillians should be lucky we continue to HAVE a fishing industry at all. If it had not been for the actions taken by the predecessors to the Cooperative party, the Greens and Agrarians, in the way of pushing stubborn SDP governments for a ban on factory farm fishing and increased enforcement of protection of Antillian waters from Portuguese and foreign fishing fleets our waters would be as barren as the Grand banks of Canada. Understandably Social Democrats, as the old man of Antillan politics, like to rewards the good old boys, are adverse to change and sometimes we need to speak up when talking to them… (pauses as laugher comes from the rest of the Cooperative caucus) the point I was making reinforces Mr Roberts comments. Our fishing industry cannot afford more, figuratively speaking, “mouths to feed”.

It’s pleasing to see such support for a High speed tunnel Rail link… and with that we say that commission look only at High speed Rail link options, less work for any commission which should focus on costs, community impacts and environmental sustainability.

[lilTommy]

Mr Bastian De Wilde
Speaker, Honorable Members...

To continue this debate, the Cooperatives propose that this government, and thus the Antillan people profit from this venture to the utmost. Meaning the ownership of said tunnel High Speed Rail link should lay in the hands of the state owned corporation, RailAntilla. To encourage Private sector growth as well we believe this is a perfect opportunity to work with partners from private rail industry to find a common end.
Our proposal would have RailAntilla build the link, and then lease the use of the Rail link to a) a single private partner or b) multiple partners in a competitive process.

This also leads me off topic some, but addresses comments made by my colleague Mr Harlow. We here do believe indeed that air travel, in its current state is far to expensive and pollutant and thus, like the gas-engine auto, and industry we should not promote as a viable island wide travel option. So we feel this link, as well as greater investment in our Ferry industry will both prove to be economic engines and an advancement towards a more sustainable island.

I yield my time...

[lilTommy]

Mr Bastian De Wilde

To my colleague Mr Harlow, i understand the idea of nation building through government investment might be a foreign concept to the Patriots but the state at is more often then not best equipped to save economies after being ravaged by right-wing corporate greed... (pause for cheers and desk thumbing from the Cooperative caucus)...
More to your point, Antillans are tired of being fed the falsities that they "can have their cake and eat it too", Cooperatives believe that a society shift needs to occur to save our beloved land, and the shift starts with the truth! Mr Harlow, please note that i mentioned gas-engine automobile, this party has been pushing for an expansion to investment in mass production of alternates like electric and fuel cell for years. Not to dwell but experience as the Kristiana  government proved that moving away from building cities, and revolving our lives around the auto, we can grow and diversify economies thru livable, local pedestrian community, extensive rail transit, parks and localized farms... something the Nation needs to start doing.

To answer your question... "where do we draw the line", the answer is... Nowhere

(the Cooperative Causes rises and cheers....
Speaker: Order members... Order!

[lilTommy]

Bastian De Wilde

Mr Davenport, if Pitfarris HAD their own assembly, indeed if all the Regions had their own assembly's, perhaps thats where this chatter could happen.

OOC - i believe we established that Pitfarris did not have a devolved level of government yet, correct?

[lilTommy]

OOC - Gotcha... so lets say i said instead:

Mr Davenport, tourism can indeed be a national issue... especially if Pitfarris wishes to see any money for programs come from the National government.

[lilTommy]

Speaker: As the Matter has been referred to Committee, is their new business for the house? The Speaker recognizes Mr Bastian De Wilde, Cooperative.

Mr Bastian De Wilde

Thanks you Mr Speaker, I would like the government to comment on the recent Debt crisis facing many European countries, in particular Greece. This is a worrying and troubling event of epic perportions that many of our European partners are demanding Greece adopt fiscal policies, these same policies of privatization and deregulation that led to the recession that the world is suffering through in the first place.

The Assembly has yet to be informed on what role, if any, Antilla has played in emergency financing of loans to Greece? Does the governments support of such force austerity in the rest of Europe mean these programs will soon see the light of day at home.

I strongly recommend that Assembly debate any involvement in the euro-zone debt program.

Thanks you, i yield my time.
 

[lilTommy]

Mr Bastian De Wilde

I would like to thank Mr Roberts for his response, and its never healthy to assume anything now is it my colleagues. As the Assembly is well aware we opposed EU membership in the last referendum and still do to this day, the Greece situation being a perfect example of why there is no benefit to this country.
I think this country does indeed owe a debt of gratitude to the MacDougal/Houstman governments... who governed in coalition with our predecessors, for their steadfast rejection of the Icelandic and Irish model of deregulation. Yes, i did just indeed thank the SPP for a job well done, i might be fiercely leftist but i will give credit where credit is due.
I was a meer youth, passionate even then, in the days of the Wanbeck government, but i knew then their policies of privatization and deregulation were wrong and I marched and protested in the streets, helping to shut down the Exchange District and the Ports in Kristiana. Those successful National strikes and civic protests are something i do not want to see again. So we in the Cooperatives are looking for commitment from the SPP that the EU pushed policies will not be in consideration as public policy.

Thanks you

[lilTommy]

Bastian De Wilde (since Stella Brunn-Bailey is still in debate)

I agree, as stated before, that thanks the previous SPP coalitions we are indeed on sound footing but i must disagree with my fellow colleagues Mr. De Bruijn or Mr Harlow on the state of the economy as where to proceed from here. The Cooperatives support paying off the debt but at this time, with the economy stagnant, we should not be increasing the amount of debt payments we are making.
With our own economy barely moving and Europe and America in financial uncertainty we must look to infrastructure investments, strategic partnerships and selective tax incentives to boost economic activity. We feel the best use of Government resources should be to help diversify and move our economy to be less dependant on external forces.
To my colleagues, if the government proceeds to increase the debt repayment, what will you cut to make this happen? who will suffer now?

[lilTommy]

Mr Bastian De Wilde

I would like to state that we agree with the idea that the Tunnel, again we do not support the proposal for a bridge and again only support a rapid rail tunnel link in order to continue to support the ferrymen... but the idea that this will be a short term economic boom for a depressed area in both Adland Peterford and Bergenshire Pitfarris is one we should continue to pursue.

Mr MacPherson, the Cooperatives have a very close relationship with the Ferrymen union and we have heard their cries, we feel the restrictions placed on this Tunnel being only a trail link will temper their opposition, which as in our discussion with their executive, since the ferry system is also something we should look at improving and investing in. As Cooperatives we do not believe in putting the Unions against one another when all can benefit.

[lilTommy]

Mr Bastian De Wilde

To compliment what my colleague Mr Roberts has stated; Its no secret that the Cooperatives have been actively pursuing a closer relationship with the TWC in hopes of gaining some support form the executive. Their support is not full or unanimous for this project but from our conversations support is growing.

The NUWLG is an integral part of the fabric that makes up the Cooperative Party and is more militant then the TWC for sure, and to provide the Assembly with some background our proposal for this tunnel to be strictly rail came from those discussons.

[lilTommy]

(OOC - I think my age is showing... thanks for the information... i will modify my statement)

[lilTommy]

Mr Bastian De Wilde

This Assembly knows quite well that the Patriots and Mr Harlow have never found a government project they DID like or they WOULD support... the party's sheer lack of fundamental understanding of how economies can run continues to surprise no one.

What saved us in the 30's was government infrastructure projects and they continue to be fiscally sound economic mains, sharks if you will, attracting remoras or other business in this case who feed off of these projects. The benefits will be felt in the construction industry, the rail industry, the local services economies of Peterford and Pitfarris... and yes we understand that the ferrymen might suffer some, but as you said "they have survived through the good and the bad" and this is neither for them. This is an opportunity to improve quality, look for efficiencies and diversify. We see this and both the Unions are starting to see this... can the Patriots take off their blinders to see this?

[lilTommy]

Stella Bruun-Bailey
(OOC - i am going to mix it up with these two, again any opposed let me know)

I will certainly agree with my colleague that there is a need for a Tunnel... a bridge, that's all together another matter that we cant be so civil on (chuckles from the Cooperative benches) We do support Mr Valentine's approach that Ferrymen who will otherwise be left unemployed should be given preferential retraining to be able to work on the tunnel. But lets not get ourselves into a battle with the construction and trades unions. Other measures to soften the blow, so to speak, includes working with Firth Ferries and the Unions to look at early retirement packages for those most senior.
I would like to commend the SPP for its ideas in terms of directing support in to the public corporation to diversify, focus on history of our beloved Ferry's (again more work can be created by the restoration of various old steamers). Another consideration would be conversion of some ferries into cruiseliners, offering summer island cruises or expanding outside Antilla and offering ferry/cruise service to the UK and Norway.

The more we delve deep into the details, the more possibilities we can see for growth

[lilTommy]

I have not received any confirmation of the formation of the government... i sent out my parties prefered posts and have been waiting for anything.

pfft... SPP get a move on