[BEGIN RADIO TRANSCRIPT]
“It is 22:05, outside it is 10¾ °R, and this is the Echo of the Day.”
[JINGLE]
“Good evening, dear listeners. International controversy is growing over the Republic's policies in Southeast Florida, especially when it comes to the situation in the camps, built over three years ago for the victims of several subsequent furacanoes. Our government is under heavy attack from the international press after the BBC World Service published some alarming news regarding the life conditions in those camps. Earlier today, Jewan Sobociny had an interview about the matter with Paweł Bościciału, minister of colonies.”
JS: “Mr. Minister, the Caribbean Desk of the BBC has released some quite alarming news about the situation in Southeast Florida, and the world press seems to be picking it up. Is our government going to issue an official response yet?”
PB: “For now, I don't believe these rumours deserve our government's attention. We honestly have better things to do.”
JS: “I see. Yet, there are reports about the conditions in the so-called 'temporary relocation camps' in Southeast Florida. According to the BBC, people are kept there by force, and under less than human conditions. What is your comment to that?”
PB: “That it is complete nonsense. Of course, there are people who always have something to complain about. Whatever you do for them, it is never good enough! Do you know what the truth is about these camps? Do you know the truth about them? Well then, I will tell you. When three years ago Florida was ravaged, first by a junta of madmen, then by a war, and subsequently by a whole set of furacanoes, we gathered all our forces to save the people from these disasters. Not out of self-interest, but just because we felt it was our sacred duty as a Christian nation. And so, without having much experience or know-how, we collected millions of talars, gathered hundreds of experts from the RTC and abroad, sent them to Florida, engineers, construction workers, doctors, entertainers and the like... We built these camps in no time, but I'm proud to say we did a really decent job with them. We saved many lives, and people lived under really comfortable circumstances in those camps. They got the best food they had had for years; they had the chance to consume the finest Venedic dishes on a daily base, things they had never even dreamt of trying! New communities were built, new friendships flourished... Of course, we had to send most people back home after the weather had cooled down and their houses had been rebuilt. But you know what? A lot of them didn't even WANT to go back home. Women came to our commanders and begged them on their knees to allow them to stay a bit longer. One man even commited suicide! In his goodbye note, he wrote that in the camp he had finally found happiness and that he'd rather die than to return to his old, lonesome life. Of course, we had to be tough and send those people back home anyway. And you know what? They left with tears in their eyes, baked cakes for the soldiers and thanked them for what they called 'the most beautiful vacation they had ever had in their entire life'! And that is the truth, Mr. Sobociny!”
JS: “But those disasters, that was three years ago, Mr. Minister. How come these camps haven't been dismantled yet?”
PB: “There are several reasons for that. The devastating force of the furacanoes has been enormous. And although we have put a huge effort in rebuilding the destroyed real estate, we are not quite finished yet. But, although our means are limited, I'm proud to say that we have completed about 4/5 of our task. If the weather will cooperate with us, we expect to be done within a year. Now, Mr. Sobociny, you will have to admit that that is pretty quick, especially taking into consideration how we used to get things done in the RTC before the ŻŻŻ took over.”
JS: “Well...”
PB: “There is another thing, too. Every now and then small pockets of terrorists perform random attacks on the civilian population. You remember what happened in Kinnessee last June, right? A group of bandits attacked the town by surprise and literally massacred the population. Many of whom were people who had just returned home from one of our relocation camps. Afterwards, of course, we wiped them out, but the evil had already been done. Anyway, to protect the Floridians from further attacks, we found it safer to temporarily transform the temporary relocation camps into fortified settlements. Under those circumstances, our soldiers are at least able to protect the people more efficiently from terrorist attacks.”
JS: “Yes, according to the BBC, there is a true guerrilla war going on in Florida.”
PB: “Far from that. Believe me, Mr. Sobociny, there no appreciable guerrila activity beyond small bands of ill-equipped and failing rebels hiding out in the swamps. Almost all buszyści have been locked up in prisons or reeducation camps. Thanks to us, most Floridians live in peace. But it is true that there are elements from the margin of Florida's society who are trying to profit from other people's trouble. No resistance or anything, just ordinary criminals. Murderers. Bandits. They aren't fighting for anybody's sake but their own.”
JS: “You seem to take it almost personally, Mr. Minister.”
PB: “Well, I very much hope we can wipe out this violence once and for all. That's the least we can do for the Floridians.”
JS: “There are rumours that governor-general Bambaryła has even been using death squads to fight these terrorists.”
PB: “None of that is true. We fight crime, but would never use illegitimate means for that.”
JS: “Let us return to the relocation camps, then. There are rumours that say people are not allowed to their previous homes because the best of the rebuilt buildings have been confisquated by RTC officials. Is that true?”
PB: “That is pure nonsense. Even the highest-ranking officials live under far from luxurious circumstances. I should add that the real estate they use was previously the property of bushist officials, most of whom are either dead or in prison anyway. In some cases, part of these houses still lie in ruins. Of course, all the thousands of doctors, specialists, construction workers, lawyers, artists, scientists and policemen also need to live somewhere. But I assure you, Mr. Sobociny, our people in Florida live under very moderate circumstances. And definitely not in houses that have ever been the property of honest people.”
JS: “I see, Mr. Minister. Please allow me to change the subject then and let's talk about the future. It has been more than a year now since the Inicjaciwa Czywiła Kętra Okupaceń Florydzie was launched. Government has been silent regarding our future plans in Florida. How long do you think the RTC will stay in Florida? When will we finally hand over power to the Floridians themselves?”
PB: “That is hard to say. From the first day on, we have pledged ourselves to the task of restoring peace in Southeast Florida and guiding the people of Florida towards a democratic society. At first, we thought that might be a matter of a few years, at most. But the truth is, Floridian society is rotten to the core. By now, we have made tens of thousands of arrests, but there is still a strong opposition. To put it simply, democracy isn't rooted at all in Florida. The banana republic mentality is still strong. Besides, we had expected more cooperation from the side of our allies. Who would have expected that they will only make our task harder?”
JS: “Harder? In what sense?”
PB: “Look at what is going on in the Irish ZOC! The Irish, despite their best intentions, are completely out of control there. Their zone is falling apart into tiny little mini-states, most of them privately owned by former Bush adepts. The NAL is just waiting for an occasion to incorporate the rest of Florida, just like they did to the North. Cuba is seeking the restoration of former Florida-Caribbea... and even Castille and Leon are seeking to recolonise Florida. To serve their own interests, all of them are trying to undermine our authority, providing these so-called rebels with money and weapons. No, Mr. Sobociny, it is sad, but we are surrounded by enemies. And that is why our presence in Florida is needed. Not for our own sake, but because we are morally obliged to spare the Floridians the fate of being usurped by those who intend to exploit them.”
JS: “And that's why Southeast Florida's borders are hermetically closed all the time, right?”
PB: “Unfortunately, it is the only way. Of course, from time to time our enemies succeed in smuggling spies and agents provocateurs into our zone. These agents, called noticias by some, even manage their way into the relocation camps in order to disseminate Bushist propaganda. But we know how to deal with them.”
JS: “You are undoubtedly aware of the fact that many, not only in Florida and abroad but also in our own Republic, rather tend to see US as the exploiters.”
PB: “That is one out of many examples of hostile propaganda. We do not exploit anybody. The contrary is true, we support Florida with all the means at our disposition. We have rebuilt musea, concert halls, art galleries, palaces, and keep on building new ones. In spite of all the trouble, Southeast Florida is flourishing like it never has. As long as the people of Florida appreciate our efforts, and they really don't have a single reason not to, I don't see why we should leave their country prematurely.”
JS: “Thank you very much for this conversation, Mr. Minister.”
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