Speaking of this matter, the relevant technological blueprints had already been given to Wu Jiarong to arrange. After on-site inspections, she found several places suitable for the construction of a starport.
There were several alternative locations, generally concentrated to the east of Revival City, at the border of Gaota Province and Xiongya Province.
Naturally, a strife, both overt and covert, began between the two sides.
Obviously, if one could ensure that the surface component of the starport was built within their own jurisdiction, the completion of the starport in the future would bring tremendous economic benefits and would have an obvious, significant uplifting effect on the development of their own province.
Initially, Henry had been confident that he would secure the construction rights.
But the final result left him extremely disappointed.
The ultimate site chosen was a place in Xiongya Province called ‘Skaaro Highlands.’
Henry was outraged by this; he made more than one disturbance at the Alliance Government and had several intense confrontations with Osenia, accusing the Alliance Development Department of cronyism and excluding him. The new provincial governor of Xiongya Province was a former official from the Development Department.
They were looking after their own, disregarding several investigative reports issued by the Alliance Research Institute.
He insisted that the alternative locations for the starport in Gaota Province were more suitable than Skaaro Highlands.
In his direct words to Osenia:
“Playing favors, are we? Fond of playing favors, are we! Isn’t my network stronger and more solid than anyone else’s? Even you came from the first batch of refugees I brought to the governor from Revival City! I was also the governor’s first investor! That Rafael guy, what is he?
Even deserving to compete with me?”
Why did Gu Hang know this so clearly?
Because it was the Ministry of Internal Affairs that had passed the information on to him.
Osenia found it somewhat difficult to handle Henry’s assertiveness.
In practice, she indeed rejected Henry’s requests many times, even face-to-face. Still, when being berated, it was not easy for her to stand firm and have the guards throw Henry out.
After all, he was a high official of a province in the Alliance, an elder statesman, and what he said about ‘Osenia being brought to the governor by him’ was indeed the truth.
Making it too ugly in public was indeed not good.
To give him a good talking-to was one thing; to firmly refuse unreasonable requests was another.
But Henry was clearly not satisfied with this.
Seeing that Osenia, the Alliance Premier, was unwilling to satisfy his demands, he angrily left a few ugly words behind.
“Ungrateful,” “Your role as premier is utterly useless,” and then he came to see Gu Hang.
Of course, in front of Gu Hang, he couldn’t possibly behave as arrogantly.
On the contrary, his demeanor was very humble; he prostrated himself as soon as he entered and began to tearfully recount his grievances, not rising until Gu Hang repeatedly and impatiently told him to get up. Only then did he consent to rise and sit on a chair brought by an attendant, continuing his complaints.
Gu Hang grew increasingly annoyed the more he listened.
Finally, unable to endure it any longer, he lifted a document in his hand and hurled it at Dennison Henry’s face.
“Take a good look at this for yourself!” Gu Hang stared at him, “Are you going to continue your talk in front of me?”
The crying and complaining abruptly stopped.
Henry had not anticipated that Gu Hang would erupt in such anger, and was momentarily stunned.
He glanced at the white paper that had flown into the air before landing; he was quite familiar with its content, having seen it many times before.
It stated that the site selection for Gaota Province was indeed slightly superior environmentally to the Skaaro Highlands. And that had been precisely his excuse for causing trouble on numerous occasions.
Gu Hang looked at him, seeing not a trace of remorse, and was extremely disappointed.
He said, “Just for your personal gain, you’ve delayed my Starport construction project for over a week? Do you think I have time to spare?”
“Yes, the site selection for Gaota Province is indeed a bit better in natural conditions, but not by much, it’s highly replaceable.”
“But in other aspects, the Skaaro Highlands simply crush you!”
“The Alliance’s major infrastructure projects started three months ago. Look at what you’ve done during these months? With roads, railways construction, you’ve barely completed a route from Rubbish Town to Weixing City and Revival City, and the rest of the projects are dragging on and on. Especially the eastward projects, they have been delayed until now and haven’t even started!”
“Do you think I’m not aware of your little schemes?
Thinking the land carved out from Yan Fangxu’s eastern campaign is not enough, thinking Gaota Province hasn’t expanded enough; thinking Gaota Province and the Eastern Provinces have similar industries, both important resource production areas, with little room for cooperation but intense competition, and if the railway and road networks in Gaota Province were connected with Xiongya Province, it would allow them to reap the benefits without any effort?”
“That’s absolutely not what I was thinking!”
Henry knelt on the ground with a thud.
Gu Hang was even more disgusted: “Since when does the Alliance have a ritual of kneeling on the ground?”
Embarrassed, Henry got back to his feet.
“I don’t care whether you think that way or not, I’m not interested in arguing with you about it,” Gu Hang continued, “I only look at the facts in front of me.
The Development Department has laid out several phases of the infrastructure plan, if you don’t understand the significance behind these plans, that is your own blindness, your indifference to the overall development of the Alliance, and is a dereliction of your duty. What’s worse is that you fail to comprehend and also refuse to execute!”
“A phase of the project was given four months, and now three months have passed, and the construction goals for your Gaota Province have only just been barely over half reached. Every other province has done better than you. Even the newly established Tea View Province has pushed their projects over the halfway mark.
Xiongya Province has even completed their phase one construction and has built many additional roads in the Skaaro Highlands to facilitate future logistics work after the Starport is established.”
“Rafael’s planning, from the transportation of materials needed for the Starport construction, to personnel support, to the planning of the transport hub city grounded on the Starport, has all been schemed, and implementation is already underway. Why should the Development Department abandon that location and choose your Gaota Province?
Just because you haven’t even finished building the railways yet? When the time comes for the Starport construction, are the construction teams supposed to drive bull trucks over muddy roads to transport construction materials valued at tens of millions to the site?”
“I…” Henry’s forehead was drenched in cold sweat, “It’s not that there has been no construction, I have also been part of planning…”
“Enough, your messing about has already forced us to delay the Starport construction plan by a week. Do I need to wait another two months for you to complete the basic infrastructure that should’ve already been built, and then proceed with the plan?”
At this point, Gu Hang had lost any desire to continue discussing the matter with Dennison Henry.
He made his final decision:
“Henry, I appreciate your help a year and a half ago, but you’ve gained more from it. My tolerance for you is limited; I don’t wish for you to constantly bring up those things and ignore your actual duties.”
“To put you in charge of Gaota Province wasn’t meant as a reward for your past merits. Frankly, do your past deeds deserve a province as a reward? I put you in charge there hoping you would contribute your abilities to advance our cause, not to rest on your laurels.”
“I am extremely disappointed with this matter; I think you’re not suited to govern a province. I’ll have Osenia pick a more suitable replacement. However, your Grade C9 position, as well as all related benefits and allowances, will be maintained as my thanks for your help initially.”
Hearing this, Dennison Henry’s face turned deathly pale.
Am I… being dismissed?
To think that I am the first provincial and ministry-level official to be dismissed since the establishment of the Alliance?
Henry was filled with deep regret.