Land, Sea and Air (part 2): A New Hope
Some updates from the last entry in our journal:
Land
Ah, what a change a few months do!
No longer wilderness
Nueva Esperanza (Spanish for "New Hope". No relation to the successful space opera franchise) was founded, its terrain was allotted, and it has quickly become a transit hub, with part of the new airport (though no economy-boosting terminal, to the dismay of the few new residents) as well as the Triple Bridge to the north: tracks for regular, high-speed train and highway crossing across the Nueva Esperanza strait into the so far still depopulated Isla Enojada.
It's no Madison Country, but these bridges have also attracted the attention of photographers and lonely hearts everywhere
As for the actual town, a residential area has been set up on the northern coast, far from the airport. Both a railway and a ferry line terminate into the town, so local residents (numbering 2,200) can take either means of transportation or simply drive themselves across the island, should they need anything from the town.
A few stores have been projected to open around the area anytime soon.
Meanwhile, the valley has been turned into fertile farmland.
It ain't much, but it's honest work
Sea
The new Bahía Herradura port has become active. Its location, close to but outside the main core area, and right next to a number of islands that shelter it from the open seas, have helped it become a growing success, diverting some traffic from the rather crowded South Bay.
There's even a Casino and a beach!
Some work remains to be done on what has been colloquially known as Entertainment Island, so far mostly devoid of actual entertainment.
The least historic Historic Harbour ever, soon to a location near you!
The port has continued expanding northward, as well, on some reclaimed terrain. Once finished, it's expected to surpass Anclaje Port as the busiest by cargo numbers on the whole island.
No one can stop modernisation!
Air
Ah, yes, air. The most contentious dilemma of Isla Bonita so far.
To recap: the now 3-million inhabitants island has, simply put, outgrown the old, dated airport tandem of Bahía Medusa International and Anclaje airports. The lack of facilities, the shortage of gates, and the perilously short runways meant that the old airports' days were counted. Three replacement sites were put forward:
- An in-situ replacement, tearing down substantial parts of Anclaje (including its old airport) and Bahía Medusa.
- A brand new airport on virgin lands on Isla Enojada.
- A middle-of-the-road (literally) solution in a new airport on the northern part of Isla Bonita, taking advantage of existing high-speed-rail and highway links.
An attentive reader might've noticed by now that the third solution was the one chosen. But the way to get here was anything but straightforward.
Legislators met on the Interior Congress Building for a truly marathon-like debate on late July. Surveys were delivered. Citizens gave their opinion. Experts were flown in all the way from New Udanani. Finally, after 26 grueling hours, vote were finally cast…
And the Anclaje-Bahía Medusa won by a plurality of one vote.
Interior Congress, the scene of a crime
The uproar was immediate! Even before the Prime Minister signed the law, congressmen were demanding a second vote, since option 2 and 3 had obtained more votes combined. There were also allegations that the Anclaje congressmen --selected at large, but who had informally committed to vote on this issue proportionally to the latest surveys-- had instead voted en bloque in support of the airport, even while the old La Isla neighbourhood stood for demolition and its residents were irate. People even commented on the fact that Bahía Medusa, which also voted overwhelmingly in favour of the new airport, was overrepresented at Parliament due to the use of old census results that didn't reflect its lowering populace.
La Isla (Sp. for "The Island") is one of Anclaje's oldest neighbourhoods. It remains a firmly working class, somewhat crowded area of the city
All protests were in vain. Prime Minister Ircam signed the bill and the New Anclaje airport, as it was dubbed, was given a green light. The concession process started immediately and the Old Anclaje airport was decommissioned and demolished fast. Suspiciously fast…
There used to be an airport in here…
Matters got so shady that the Prosecutors' Office was forced to act ex officio and begun investigating alleged corruption centered around the vote.
The Interior Court, where matters were trialed, highlighted in the Interior Old Town
At the same time, journalists leaked information that suggested that the lowest bid for construction of the new airport had been presented by Constructora Corructa, a rather small firm with offices at The Pyramid building in Cuerno de Águila, where records showed that a series of unreported meetings took place with high-ranking politicians, including Anclaje congressmen.
It got to the point where photos were leaked of congressmen unexplainably present at Mr. Corructa's own villa, in the very expensive neighbourhood of Providencia.
It doesn't get any posher than this
Finally, the Prosecutors uncovered chats that implicated high-ranking members of the ruling party, including Prime Minister Ircam. They had received kickbacks to fast-track and approve infrastructure contracts benefitting Corructa, who then overcharged the public treasury and delivered shoddy craftmanship. Corructa had already built one of the Nueva Esperanza bridges and had obtained a series of contracts, always managing to deliver the lowest bid --authorities believe he was given confidential information in order to be able to win these bids.
The scenes that followed were unprecedented in Isla Bonita history, including a police car that was dispatched to pick up the Prime Minister himself from his working office at the Planalto palace!
The rather short arm of the law (there's a Police Station across the street)
Vans were also sent to detain several congressmen, including Mr. Arnold, who lives at La Isla and had to be protected from his own neighbours!
Mr. Arnold was picked up during office hours
Finally, as the government crumbled, elections were called and the Deputy prime minister nullified the airport law. The new government, once in charge, approved the new airport and the rest, as they say, is history!
History being made
Enrique Valenti International Airport is now ready to receive flights, though it hasn't officially opened yet. It features one complete runway (plus a second one currently being built), around 20 gates, and has a HSR connection to Anclaje and regular rail to all other cities in Isla Bonita, as well as a highway right next to the main terminal. Other connections are being discussed as of this writing, including a tram project to link the terminal with Ciudad del Arado, immediately to the south and under whose city limits the airport is partly located.
Finally, Line 8 has received a number but no works have started yet. The new airport has seen some substantial cost overruns (being investigated -- though people at Isla Bonita are not looking forward to see a second government fall in a corruption scandal this year) which have put all other infrastructure projects on delay. Hopefully, more news on the next installment of this series!
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