Malfunction in the Secure Commerce Committee's centralized billing system corrected.

This just in from the Galactic News Network: Shortly after noon GMT (Galactic Median Time) today, system administrators doing routine maintenance work at the Caldari Business Tribunal Information Center in Averon discovered a serious malfunction in the Secure Commerce Committee's centralized billing system.

The source of the malfunction is unknown at this time, but its effects were described by SCC spokesman Jeroku Haldarius as a "significant setback, one which we will be working hard to correct."

Reports from top SCC sources indicate that over the last few weeks, a significant number of the bills charged for public rental of factory and research facilities were not sent out as they should have been. The SCC's accountants will reportedly be working 24 hours a day to correct the errors caused by the breakdown.

In response to the rising wave of outrage from independent station managers and Trans-Empire corporations hit hardest by the malfunction, the SCC are instating a "rapid recovery" program whereby a backlog of rental fees will be sent out to the corporations and individuals who have not been charged yet.

"This is an outrage," said Josanna Worusar, station manager of the Ishukone Corporation Factory at Malkalen V, who rents out both factory and laboratory facilities to individuals and corporations, and who has just recently had to cancel many of her rental agreements due to the SCC decree issued earlier today.

"Of course this puts a dent in our operation. How am I supposed to run a station if I can't get the funds? Rubber bands and bubble gum?"

Confronted with recent rumors claiming the error was the result of an intentional subroutine maliciously planted in the system by an unknown party, the SCC spokesman declined to comment.