Volume 4 Chapter 3 Population doesn’t equal manpower
Seveni was reading the report in her hand as she slightly knit her brows.
“It seems like Banta City has even more foreign population than last year. This is only the report for the first half a month after the new years, but there are already over fifty thousand foreigners in Banta City, this doesn’t even include the people that can’t be counted. If it was all added together, it might be close to a hundred thousand people.”
Xu Yi revealed a faint smile, “Is there something wrong with that? Banta City is lacking manpower all over, we can’t satisfy this large demand with just the Banta City locals, so we need foreign population. Don’t forget, at the peak last year, there were over two hundred thousand foreigners.”
“But based on this trend, there might be more than two hundred thousand. Perhaps….there might even be more than three hundred thousand.” Seveni shook her head and said this with a worried look.
“The more the better.” Xu Yi gave a careless shrug, “Not only our Frestech Chamber of Commerce, I think that all the companies in Banta City will be very happy to see this. There’s no other way, there’s just too much of a lack in manpower.”
Seveni looked at him, “You don’t need to care, so of course you feel relaxed. You have to know that the local population of Banta City is less than a hundred thousand and now there are over two hundred thousand…..or even three hundred thousand people coming in. As the City Lord, there’s a lot of pressure on me.”
“Pressure is a good thing.” Xu Yi revealed a smile, “Dear your highness, the more pressure there is, wouldn’t you be able to manifest even more outstanding abilities? Think about it, Banta City has over three hundred thousand foreigners this year, then the population…..could even surpass Anvilmar City, right?”
Seveni gave a slight nod, “Un, according to the stats from last year, Anvilmar City’s population is around two hundred thousand and adding in the foreigners, it should be around four hundred thousand.”
“So that means if you can develop such a city, this should be something that others admies. If you can do this brilliantly, I think that all those who oppose you can only admire your ability for administration. This would be very helpful to you when you want to take the throne.” Xu Yi said with a serious look.
“Take the throne?” Seveni gave a bitter laugh before looking at the report in her hand. She said with a sigh, “There’s a strange problem with this report. Most of the people that came this year come from the northern and northwestern province, which is near the border to the Sack Kingdom.”
Xu Yi narrowed his eyes and gave a soft snort, “Although the commoners in the north don’t have a high position, that doesn’t mean they are dumb. Instead of staying there to be exploited by a certain prince and facing danger in the future, it is better to escape that place. Our Banta City is one of the best choices.”
Seveni looked at Xu Yi with a bit of surprise, “Where did you receive this information?”
Xu Yi shook his head, “No, I didn’t pay attention to this issue. It was just that a few days ago, the relatives of two researchers from our company moved from the northern border and were planning to settle in Banta City. When I saw them, I asked them about the situation in the north and why they wanted to settle in Banta City, so I know the situation.”
“Two researchers? Is it chief Evita and high class research Akali?” Seveni asked.
Xu Yi was surprised, “Your highness, you know quite a bit.”
Seveni revealed a faint smile and didn’t reply to the doubt in Xu Yi’s eyes. She pointed at the report in her hand and continued asking, “Then chairman Xu, there could be over three hundred thousand foreigners that come this year. Taking away the two hundred thousand that came last year, can we digest this close to a hundred thousand extra people?”
Xu Yi knit his brows, “This is something that you as the Lord City Lord should consider, how is it related to me?”
Seveni revealed a sly smile, “Who had your Frestech Chamber of Commerce be the City Lord Manor’s closest partner and for chairman Xu to be the most capable helper of this City Lord?”
Xu Yi helplessly shook his head, “I say, Lord City Lord, aren’t you pulling me down?”
“So what?”
Seeing the naughty smile Seveni had, Xu Yi rolled his eyes and stood up.
“This matter is related to all of Banta City. You can’t just have our company deal with it alone, you can’t let go of the fellows outside.”
The two left Seveni’s office and came to the largest conference hall in the City Lord Manor.
There were representatives from all the large and small companies in Banta City sitting in the hall. It didn’t just include the Amrit Chamber of Commerce’s chairman Cruise, the Falcao Chamber of Commerce’s chairman Morgan, the Sarank Chamber of Commerce’s chairman Rank, and the Armani Chamber of Commerce’s chairman Vincent, it also included the chairman of several smaller companies.
Even the Ireland Chamber of Commerce that hadn’t been in the city for more than two years, their vice chairman Kovac was also here.
Of course, his position was in a corner and wasn’t that conspicuous.
Seeing Seveni and Xu Yi enter the room together, the chatter of the representatives came to a stop.
As they looked at Xu Yi and Seveni, these people didn’t look surprised at all, rather there was a faint smile on their faces.
Xu Yi and Seveni were close, everyone in Banta City was very clear on this.
Although this conference was being held by her highness Seveni in the name of the City Lord Manor to discuss business in the next year, so all the companies that were gathered were of a certain size.
She would have a private discussion with Xu Yi first and no one would have any objections towards this.
Not to mention that the city renovation plan was being run by the Frestech Chamber of Commerce, the Frestech Chamber of Commerce surpassed all the large companies to become the highest tax paying company in Banta City last year, so Xu Yi was qualified for this right.
Although there were people that filled all the seats, the left hand side seat of the center seat was tactfully left open by everyone.
Xu Yi took this position without any courtesy and smiled as he greeted the surrounding chairman before turning back to Seveni.
Everyone looking at Seveni didn’t make her nervous at all. After being the City Lord for half a year, she was already used to holding this position. When she faced the representatives of the various companies, she was very relaxed. She didn’t seem like a twenty year old girl, she seemed like a mature politician.
“Representatives of all the various companies, happy New Years to you all.” Seveni first gave a greeting before taking out a pile of documents. She had her assistant distribute them before entering a brief speech.
Although this speech wasn’t long, the contents weren’t simple.
In these few words, Seveni praised the companies for their contribution to Banta City and encouraged everyone to do the same in the new year.
After that, she set out a special request.
For example, in the new year, she hoped that various companies could keep their reputation and wouldn’t do anything to harm the reputation of Banta City.
Next, she asked the companies to participate in the construction of Banta City, displaying a bit of responsibility to their community.
On this, Seveni heavily praised the Frestech Chamber of Commerce and praised the fact that the Frestech Chamber of Commerce would be taking out a hundred Magic Cars to strengthen Banta City’s public transport system.
Hearing Seveni’s words, the various chairmen all stated that they would learn from the Frestech Chamber of Commerce.
The Falcao Chamber of Commerce’s chairman Morgan suggested building an aid station outside the city, helping all the citizens of Banta City.
The Armani Chamber of Commerce’s chairman Vincent proposed giving a set of winter clothing and bedding for all old people over the age of sixty in Banta City, also suggesting care for old people who had no one to take care of them, guaranteeing their basic living conditions.
The other companies all suggested free subsidizations based on the scale of their companies, responding to Seveni’s summons.
After this was done, Seveni quickly changed into a practical topic.
The first one was how to digest the large number of people coming into Banta City.
Hearing this issue, the representatives of the various companies all revealed relaxed smiles.
Everyone indicated that that all their companies lacked people, so everyone was looking forward to seeing more people come to Banta City.
Not mentioning a hundred thousand extra people, even if it was two hundred thousand, they were all confident in swallowing them up.
However, at this time, Xu Yi raised a question.
“Everyone, please calm down first.” Xu Yi stood up and looked around. When everyone calmed down and were looking at him, he said with a serious expression, “I understand that everyone is looking for workers and all the companies in the city are missing workers, but I think that…..everyone has neglected a very important problem.”
Everyone looked at each other before chairman Morgan asked with a frown, “What problem?”
Xu Yi revealed a faint smile, “This problem is that population doesn’t equate manpower.”