Arbra, Arbran -- In a special press conference held last week aboard the MC-80b Star Cruiser Arkanian Dragon, Chancellor Va`Li Owa and Prime Minister George O Rourke announced that the Arkanian Engineers have restructured from a private sector company to a fully fledged government. This shift in operations is the result of several months of discussion and planning by the Arkanian Engineers Board of Directors. The move, which will also incorporate a name change to Arkanian Brotherhood for the organisation, was widely expected by local and foreign political pundits.

 

 

Professor Derus Armdale of the Birjis Academy of Political Sciences calls it "an organic change". He explained: "The Arkanian Brotherhood are certainly not the norm when it comes to private companies operating within the galaxy. They have long been an open and active supporter of the Galactic Alliance, and although they were formally registered as a mining and production company, they did not actually supply any goods or services to the market. Governance has been the core business of the Arkanian branded companies for many years. Many people don't realise that not only do they govern four systems; they also govern two entire sectors and share governance of a third."

 

During the announcement, Chancellor Owa stated that inhabitants of Arkanian controlled worlds would not see any decrease in the presently high standards of living, healthcare, policing, education and other services that the Arkanian Brotherhood have been providing its populations. He reported: "These changes are aimed at making the process of governance more streamlined and efficient for our organisation. With the business structure we were using, we were finding that further development of our territories, in particular economic development, could potentially be capped due to stagnation. By making this move, we believe we can create an environment to promote the entry of local and foreign entrepreneurs and business ventures into the market, which will in turn keep upward pressure on the standards of living enjoyed by our citizens." While specifics were not forthcoming in the press conference yesterday, Chancellor Owa indicated that further announcements pertaining to economic policies would be made in the coming weeks.

 

Prime Minister O Rourke also spoke briefly, touching on the status of existing agreements and contracts: "We want to assure everyone that in no way have any of our existing agreements been changed by this move. We hope that with this change we have the chance to broaden our agreements with existing partners, and engage in new opportunities with new parties moving forward." When questioned specifically as to whether or not the change in direction by the Arkanian Group may signal changes in foreign policy towards the Galactic Civil War and its support of the Galactic Alliance, Prime Minister O Rourke firmly shut down such speculations. "No, definitely not. There is no change now, nor have we ever contemplated or ever will make such a move. It would be in direct opposition to what our organisation has stood for since its inception as the first private sector affiliate of the New Republic."

 

 

Initial reactions to the announcement have been positive throughout the Arkanian Regions and from a majority of the galaxy at large. Consul Tandis Valeek of the Triumvirate Coalition, a fellow Galactic Alliance Member, was asked to comment this morning after returning to Triumvirate Space from the Arbran System, where a special meeting of the Galactic Alliance Leadership Council was held. He said: "The Triumvirate Coalition, and the Galactic Alliance at large, all support the Arkanian Engineers in this endeavour. They are a valued partner and friend and we have already offered whatever support they may need as they take this step to becoming a formal government."

 

Separate reports also surfaced from sources within the Galactic Empire, which downplayed the move by what they consider an unlawful terrorist organisation. However, separatist rebel groups operating within Imperial controlled space have used this move to attempt to galvanise support for their armed struggle.

 

Chancellor Owa seemed to sum up the mood around this news when he said, "While there has been a considerable amount of hard work done to get us to this point, it is nothing compared to the amount of work we have yet to do." Time will tell if they are up to the challenge.