Phanaman 2021 Federal Referendums: What You Need to Know
By Jessica Fairvale
Monday, 22 February 2021
 

Phanama's nuclear arsenal and forests - the subjects of the referendums

 

Phanama — Two referendums on two completely unrelated topics - Phanama’s nuclear arsenal and Phanama’s forests - are scheduled to take place this year. In this article, we look at why these referendums are happening, and more.

Ratifying the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons

In October last year, the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (or TPNW for short) was adopted in the World Forum. The treaty prohibits its signatories from developing, possessing, acquiring, using or threatening to use nuclear weapons, and gives each signatory state until the end of 2024 to destroy their nuclear weapons and eliminate their nuclear weapons programme.

Phanama has already begun dismantling its nuclear weapons and the process is expected to be complete by the middle of the year.

A bill regarding Phanama’s ratification of the TPNW passed both houses of the National Assembly, however, because the bill regards signing a treaty, the final decision lies in the people’s hands.

According to the Constitution, any bill regarding international treaties MUST be accepted by a majority of Phanaman voters in a majority of Phanaman provinces, through a referendum. This means that a majority of voters in at least 4 of the 7 provinces have to vote in favour of Phanama ratifying the TPNW, for Phanama to do so.

The referendum is scheduled to take place on the 17th of April and mail-in ballots were distributed this past weekend, along with the arguments for and against Phanama ratifying the treaty.

'Tu Iy ín Albari' Initiative

In August last year, a bill amending the Forest Protection Act passed both houses of the National Assembly. The amendment included the creation of the ‘Tu Iy ín Albari’ (which translates to ‘Your Age in Trees’ in Austral) Initiative; every year on the 21st of September, everyone in Phanama above the age of 12  would have to plant a number of trees equivalent to their age and ensure the trees grow.

Olivya Fidena, the Minister of Energy, the Environment & Emissions Management said, “This initiative aims to increase Phanama’s forest cover and increase greenery in the country.”

Citizens managed to collect over 134,000 signatures of people opposing the amendment to the Forest Protection Act, so a referendum has to be organised*. If a majority of voters in at least 4 of the 7 provinces vote against the amendment, then the amendment will be repealed.

The referendum is scheduled to take place on the 3rd of July and mail-in ballots, along with arguments for and against repealing the amendment, will be delivered by the 8th of May.


*In Phanama, citizens are allowed to oppose laws and amendments passed by the National Assembly, if they collect at least 120,000 valid signatures. If this number of signatures is reached, then a referendum must be organised on that law or amendment.

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Phanamans Give the Green Light to Sign the TPNW
By Jessica Fairvale
Sunday, 18 April 2021
 

The results of the referendum with the question 'Should Phanama ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons?'

Phanama — Phanaman voters have shown support for Phanama’s ratification of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). With a majority of voters in 5 of the 7 provinces voting ‘Yes’, they have given the government the green light to ratify the TPNW.

Saturday’s referendum saw a voter turnout of 70.6%. Declevis was the province with the highest turnout - 89.3% - while District 4 had the lowest, with 53.6%.

The results of the referendum show that 63.2% of voters approve of Phanama’s ratification of the TPNW, with the strongest support in Lenium, where 84% of voters said they wanted Phanama to ratify the treaty.  A majority of voters in Declevis, Greenville, Spiritus and District 4 also expressed their support.

The vote in Actora was very close; with 50.1% of voters voting ‘No’ and a margin of just over 3000 votes, the question was defeated. The question was also defeated in Vesper, where 56.7% of voters voted ‘No’.

Senator Christopher Vespetti, who was against the National Assembly bill regarding ratification of the TPNW, said, “Already, Phanama barely spends anything on its military, is dismantling its nuclear weapons and is soon going to ban them altogether; what are we supposed to do if we ever get attacked? Sit there and watch?” He added that Phanama may need to introduce measures, such as conscription, to make up for the country’s ‘ever-increasing military weakness’.

Foreign Minister Ava Oakwell said, “These results show that Phanamans want their country to open up to the world, and work with other nations to help make Pacifica a better place. We are looking forward to working with the Pacifican Nuclear Association.”

Since the bill passed by the National Assembly states that the TPNW should be ratified within the next 14 days, the treaty is expected to be ratified early next week.

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Protesters Outside Legislatures across the Country
By Daniel Romeva
Saturday, 24 April 2021
 

Phanama — Large swarms of people have gathered outside the Houses of the National Assembly, carrying banners with the words: ‘Forget Fossil Fuels Already’, ‘All We Do with Oil is Spoil’, ‘Natural Gas? We’ll Pass’, ‘They Don’t Renew, We Aren’t Lying to You’ and many others. They are saying that they ‘will not move until the government makes a greater effort to lower Phanama’s carbon footprint’. Protesters have also gathered outside provincial legislatures in Greenville, Actora, District 4 and Vesper.

It is estimated that around 80,000 people, in total, are participating in these protests.

This comes after the government unveiled a plan with the goal of Phanama getting all of its energy from renewable sources by the year 2039. However, according to the plan, Phanama would still be getting 0.72% of its energy from oil in 2039. This is likely one of the main causes of the protests.

While multiple politicians have condemned the protests and others have commended them, the President and the Prime Minister are yet to comment on the protests.

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The New Green Sheen
By Nora Silve
Saturday, 24 July 2021
 

The Prime Minister's speech in May outlined measures affecting electricity generation, public transportation and industry.

Phanama — Just over 60 days ago, Prime Minister Marchionne delivered a speech, presenting a set of measures that would help lower Phanama’s carbon footprint. Those measures would be implemented unless there was a formal objection within the following 100 days and, as of today, there has been none. As a result, Phanamans are essentially saying:

'No' to fossil fuels in electricity generation

In June 2021, 31.7% of Phanama’s electricity came from fossil fuels, primarily from oil. With the new measures and fossil fuel phase-out plan, all of Phanama’s electricity will come from renewable sources (primarily hydropower and wind) by 2037. People working in fossil fuel-powered power stations will receive retraining so that they can move to the renewable energy sector if they choose to do so.

'No' to fossil fuels in transportation

Another area that the new measures focus on is transportation. A tax of 11 ramesos* will be levied on all domestic flight tickets, to encourage people to use greener means of transport when they want to get around the country.

Fossil fuel-powered water vessels will be replaced by their electric counterparts, or by other means of transport. Electric ferries are already being used on Lake Freska, and are expected to reach Lake Natans soon. A more robust electric train system has been proposed, giving more people a greener transportation alternative.

On the road, expect more bike lanes and wider sidewalks. All municipal bus fleets should be fully electric by the end of 2027, with the transition already taking place in some towns and cities. Regarding electric vehicles, the federal government plans to build more fast-charging stations, and offer free charging for electric cars; electric vehicles will also be granted free parking in some parts of Spiritus.

As for fossil fuel-powered vehicles, each province has its timeline for the phase-out and eventual ban of fossil fuel-powered cars; 2027 is the final date in Lenium and District 4, the end of 2029 in Declevis, Greenville and Spiritus, and 2032 in Actora and Vesper. Nonetheless, all fossil fuel-powered car owners are encouraged to switch to greener alternatives and send their used cars for recycling, as soon as possible.

*11 ramesos = $7.86

'Yes' to a carbon tax

A carbon tax has also been proposed; carbon dioxide emitters will be charged based on their emissions, in an attempt to encourage people to reduce their carbon emissions. The tax will be set at 70 ramesos** per tonne of carbon dioxide emitted, and the tax rate will be revised at the end of each year. It will come into effect on 1 June 2022.

According to the Prime Minister’s speech, there will be no increase in overall taxation, since the carbon tax revenue will be used to lower other taxes.

**70 ramesos = $50


Should the 30th of August pass without any formal objections — such as a popular initiative or provincial legislation opposing the proposed measures — these proposals will become a reality, hopefully setting Phanama on a greener course.

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Legislators Give 'Natans' a 'No'
By Krystoph Fulden
Tuesday, 17 August 2021
 

The District Four Parliament Building

Natans, D4 — After a long series of debates, amendments and votes, the Natans Renaming Act — a bill proposing a new name (Natans) for District 4 — has come to rest on the floor of District 4's Legislative Council. This has put an end to the bill’s journey, which began just over a year ago.

On 31 July 2020, the Natans Renaming Act was introduced in District 4’s House of Assembly by MHA Marco Fairvale. After some amendments and rigorous debate, the bill managed to make its way through a tied vote (which was broken by the Speaker of the House) in October. Once the Natans Renaming Act was introduced in the Legislative Council, a series of back-and-forth debates between the Council and the House ensued. These were due to disagreements on matters, such as the transition period and scope of the bill's proposed changes.

As a result, a compromise bill was drafted; it was completed in June 2021 and was sent to the House of Assembly and the Legislative Council for debate and consideration. The bill was accepted in the House on Friday, after a 14-10 vote in favour of the bill. This afternoon, the Legislative Council rejected the bill after only two of the sixteen Councillors voted in favour of it, thus ending the journey of the Natans Renaming Act.

“Most residents of this province, myself included, have come to own the name 'District 4'. It has become a part of the province's culture. Had this bill been proposed in the 1980s, when the provinces were shaking off the effects of the 'District concept', maybe it would have gotten a more positive reception. Today, this bill is neither beneficial, important, nor necessary,” said Councillor Iana Leone, during the final debate on the compromise bill.

Co-author of the Natans Renaming Act, MHA Matthew Russo, commented, “It's sad to see the NRA fail to pass, but the arguments raised against it are reasonable. It would’ve been nice if Fourians got to have a say on the matter directly, but for now, 'District 4' is here to stay.”

If residents of District 4 wanted the name of their province changed, they could try to collect enough signatures for a referendum to be held; but until that happens — if that happens — the province home to Lake Natans shall continue to be known as District 4.

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Foreign Minister Ava Oakwell: "We cannot be quiet"
By Anna Sjerre
Sunday, 17 July 2022
 

Ava Oakwell, Minister of Foreign Affairs

Spiritus, SP — Phanama's Foreign Minister talks about neutrality, cooperation with other countries, and how these fit in with joining the World Forum.

Phanama Now: Good evening, Minister Oakwell. We are here to discuss international affairs and Phanama’s foreign policy. Where does Phanama stand during the current period of political instability in the region?

Foreign Minister Ava Oakwell: We are not taking sides but are continuing to advocate for diplomacy to find peaceful resolutions to the conflicts.

PN: During the so-called ‘neutrality referendums’ last November, people showed considerable opposition to permanent neutrality. Why is Phanama maintaining its neutral stance?

AO: Phanama’s foreign policy has always been centred around neutrality, but we are maintaining this position mainly because there is still support for it. Opinion polls show that about 60% of Phanamans are in favour of keeping neutrality as a default, but would like Phanama’s stance in conflicts to be determined on a case-by-case basis. And this has given us the confidence to continue pursuing neutrality.

PN: There has also been significant support for Phanaman World Forum membership, with a popular initiative on the subject steadily gaining signatures. Why isn’t Phanama a member of the WF?

AO: There is a debate on the matter in the National Assembly, but it is still young so a conclusion has not been reached. The main argument against membership is that Phanama cannot be neutral as a member of the World Forum, due to the measures the organisation can take against member nations. Proponents of membership argue that WF measures are international law, so adopting them does not mean siding with or against anyone. And others reiterate that there is no longer a need for us to worry about neutrality, so it should not be a deciding factor. But ultimately, it will be up to Phanama’s voters to make the final decision, whether it is as a result of a bill or a popular initiative.

PN: What are your thoughts on Phanama joining the WF?

AO: I think it would help Phanama develop more of a voice in the international community, further enriching the decision-making process in the WF by bringing our perspectives to the table. WF membership would also enable us to cooperate more with other nations on issues that we cannot tackle individually, and therefore deal with them more effectively.

PN: Is cooperation with other countries, and pursuing deeper ties with them, something that has high priority on your agenda?

AO: Certainly. Phanama has generally had cordial relations with the world, but they have been a bit shallow. We have tried to change that: from ratifying the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons to the recent trade deals with the Sunrise Triad, we are trying to work with other countries so that we can make Pacifica a better place.

PN: Which countries would you like to see Phanama cooperate with more?

AO: There is no list necessarily, but I think it would be nice to get closer to our neighbours here on Crabry, and nations with which we share values like liberty, social justice, democracy, and diplomacy over war.

PN: Your current term in office ends in about a year. Will Phanama’s foreign policy change during that time?

AO: It will remain more or less the same, but we will try to be a more active player on the international stage, offering mediation during conflicts instead of simply urging peace while standing on the sidelines. Though we will continue pursuing neutrality, we will start championing certain issues, such as the protection of human rights, more loudly than we have in the past. We cannot be quiet about such matters, and without a constitutional mandate to uphold neutrality at all times, we have no excuse.

PN: Thank you, Minister Oakwell, for this interview.

AO: Thank you for having me.

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