50s: Starting with a storage ring

Chapter 491 Serving the Rich
Young lawyer Brown did not have the courage to turn down this unfamiliar client, because he was still struggling at the bottom of the legal profession, and any new business deal could be a chance for him to take off.

How much do you expect it to cost?

“Mr. Wilson, registering a company doesn’t cost much, but getting the subsequent qualification certificates quickly requires getting through a lot of connections, and that costs money.”

What certificates are required?

"There are many, such as the 'Qualification Certificate for Ship Recycling and Dismantling Service Enterprises' and the 'Qualification Certificate for Scrapped Motor Vehicle Dismantling Enterprises'."

"There are also the company's 'Employee Health Management Permit,' 'Safety and Pollution Prevention Management Permit,' 'Discharge Permit,' and so on."

"You should know that many certificates require employees with relevant professional skills to apply for them."

"Although I can help you find some certified people to lend their certificates to, it will take time and money."

Sun Zhiwei was somewhat surprised to hear this, as he hadn't had to go through so much trouble when he applied for the service in Newport News.

After thinking about it, he understood. Back then, he had only obtained a business license before signing the contract.

However, if you really want to take on legitimate recycling business, you will definitely need to provide the corresponding qualification certificates, and you may need to bid to win the project.

Back then, Captain Vincent Karen, the executive officer of the USS Nimitz, and Captain Sean Carr, a technical advisor at the naval base, never asked him for any qualification certificates.

He was probably lucky back then. The two of them were only thinking about getting money as soon as possible, and probably didn't expect that his recycling company was just an empty shell.

Well, no, I should say that even if the two of them knew he wasn't qualified, as long as he was willing to pay, it wasn't a big deal.

Just like him back then, who acquired that batch of planes simply by virtue of his business license.

However, this time it was clearly not going to work. He was dealing with the navy and parliament of a country, who would almost certainly ask him for his qualifications.

Therefore, it's not feasible to not get one, but for the initial contact, a business license is sufficient; other certificates can be postponed.

"Yes, we can get the business license within three days first, and then continue to apply for various certificates."

"Calculate the costs, and I'll transfer some start-up capital to you first."

“Mr. Wilson, the license is free, but getting the certificate requires pulling strings, and it will cost at least $20.”

Sun Zhiwei also knew a bit about these lawyers. They could get things done by using personal connections, but they wouldn't hesitate to charge exorbitant fees.

But Sun Zhiwei wasn't afraid of him making money; he only cared about the results: "I'll transfer 5 to you first. If it's done within 3 days, I'll give you 20. If it's done within 7 days, I'll give you 15. If it takes more than two weeks, I can only give you 10."

Promises are no substitute for cash; if you offer enough money, you'll naturally be motivated.

"Understood, Mr. Wilson. I will do my best to complete your request as quickly as possible."

He handed the task over to the junior lawyer and didn't say anything more. These lawyers were all doing business consultations by phone, and they were charged by the hour.

His money didn't come from thin air; he spends what needs to be spent and saves where he can.

After hanging up with the lawyer, he called Cathay Bank in New York and found Huang Mingyu, the head of the New York branch, and asked him to transfer $5 to Brown's law firm account.

The money would be transferred directly from the bank, not through his personal account, so the sender's identity would be unknown; only the name of Attorney Brown would appear in the remarks. For the next three days, he didn't rest, wandering around the city and finding the names of four key figures.

They are Chief of Naval Ships Amman, Chief of the Strategic Services Department Edwards, Speaker of the House Ramons, and President of the Senate Waltz.

The specific process is that the Navy Ships Department must first submit a decommissioning application for HMAS Melbourne, and then the Senate and House of Representatives must approve it to allow HMAS Melbourne to be decommissioned smoothly.

Then the strategy department submits a dismantling and scrapping application, which is then approved by both the House and Senate before a dismantling company can be found.

In other words, there are two steps he needs to take to acquire the Melbourne: first, decommission it, and then scrap it.

Of the two steps, decommissioning is the simplest, and now both the military and parliament want the Melbourne decommissioned.

It's a bottomless pit now. If it sets sail, something will happen, and if something happens, it needs to be repaired. Even if it doesn't set sail and sits at the dock, it still costs money for regular maintenance.

However, they are all somewhat worried that public opinion will affect their next election.

They weren't unaware of public opinion, but what if? After all, this was Australia's only aircraft carrier, so no one was willing to take the risk.

They're really overthinking it; the Australian public doesn't have any emotional attachment to the HMAS Melbourne at all.

The HMAS Melbourne arrived in Australia in 1956 and served for 24 years, including more than a decade of repairs in the shipyard.

Over the years, it has not only failed to earn any honors, but has also caused the deaths of hundreds of people due to various accidents, repeatedly exhausting the public's expectations.

Many people say the Melbourne is an unlucky ship, and quite a few hope it sinks.

Now, if someone proposes a motion to "retire," the pass rate is practically 100%, and nobody will miss it.

The scrapping and dismantling of the aircraft carrier would require parliamentary funding, which Parliament certainly doesn't want to pay. Only if the two speakers reach a consensus can it be approved.

The key figures have been found, but he has no way to contact them because he has no power or influence here and doesn't even have the right to meet them.

However, in almost every Western political city, there exists a type of person: the administrative broker.

These brokers are responsible for introducing people in power to those seeking services, negotiating transaction prices between the two parties, and even directly acting as agents for various matters.

We've heard stories before of Western companies lobbying parliament to pass laws that benefit themselves in order to secure business deals.

This is how things like this are usually done.

Since legislators are public figures and need to be mindful of their public image, they cannot personally conduct business negotiations. This is where these brokers come in handy.

The agents of important figures would reach agreements with businessmen through brokers, and then the task would be broken down into several parts.

First, let the media be in charge of guiding public opinion, then let the environmental protection sector send people to protest, and then let the parliament be in charge of proposing bills.

Another group is responsible for lobbying members of parliament, and once enough votes are collected, a vote is held, and a certain issue is successfully passed in parliament.

The big shots didn't get involved at all, but the matter was still accomplished. In the end, everyone who contributed sat down to share the spoils, while the big shots took the lion's share of the profits. Isn't that amazing?

(End of this chapter)