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You have advised to cancel the original project plan for a large dam and Regional Rice Hub, primarily due to a concern over the impacts on resettled communities and on the environment. Furthermore, to avoid the risk of further disagreement with those who opposed the project, you have opted to not explore any potential alternatives. Therefore, you have no further options to suggest to the Governor at this stage, asides from keeping the status quo.

The two fishing communities who would have been displaced are mostly satisfied with the outcome of this decision, as they can continue to practice their existing livelihoods. However, together with those involved in tourism and small-scale agriculture, they would have preferred further support for local development initiatives instead of the large dam. Meanwhile, the dam contractor, rice mill owners and the large-scale rice farmers are all very dissatisfied with the outcome, as their plans for expanded economic activity in Riverbank City have come to a halt.

The Governor is also not content with this outcome, as the national government expected a development initiative to proceed, and the Governor has nothing to suggest as an alternative. The Governor’s reelection looks uncertain, as even those who preferred the Regional Rice Hub project not to go ahead are not fully satisfied with the outcome.

Outcome Analysis:

This outcome is largely based on a zero-sum game where the fishing community and the river’s ecosystems won’t be negatively impacted by the large dam construction, but there is also no development alternatives suggested for others. The decision was made by considering various stakeholder’s opinions (i.e. inclusive reciprocity). However, as no alternatives were considered beyond the original project proposed, the exchanges were based on very specific forms of reciprocity. Given the general dissatisfaction, especially from economic elites in the town, trust in the Governor has suffered, and tit-for-tat negative actions may emerge in the longer term (i.e. negative reciprocity).

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