~Shire Global News~

Mayor Nebbers Announces New Alfa Beach Oceanfront Development

Oranjestad, SH (Sept 5, 2014)

Mayor Nebbers today officially designated the Alfa Beach development as the 11^th distinct neighborhood in Oranjestad and the first in the county that will propel the revitalization of the city’s southern waterfront. The designation is tied to the official transfer of 40 acres of recently cleared land on Oranjestad’s southern edge from the Isfahan Revitalization Commission (IRC) to Oranje County where there will be a destination beach, oceanfront condos, and businesses, including Oranjestad’s first Dalmatian Bank & Trust.

“By launching Oranjestad’s Alfa Beach development along the city’s waterfront, we are creating a world-class destination that will attract visitors from all over to experience some of the best that Oranjestad has to offer,” Mayor Nebbers said. “The transformation of the old Isfahan neighborhood is a major step forward for Oranjestad – one that will spur new investments throughout the region and lead to new opportunities in the future. I am proud that this project taking shape and look forward to seeing the completion of the neighborhood’s new facilities.”

Alfa Beach will receive an initial investment of $15 million for improvements and enhancements.

The 40 acres were transferred by IRC today to the Homestar Harbor Development Corporation (HHDC), a subsidiary of Nebworks, LLC, which has entered into an agreement with the City of Oranjestad to develop the lot.  IRC will continue to operate the land directly south of Orangetown Highway.  The old Isfahan neighborhood, which featured borrowed builds from Shanevr and Keikei, was completely demolished last month to make way for new, original developments.  Many similar efforts are nearly complete throughout Oranjestad as the city seeks to remove the bulk of any borrowed builds in favor of homegrown, original construction.  Few borrowed builds still exist.

Howard A. Zemsky, IRC Chairman said, “Today’s transfer of IRC waterfront property represents a significant milestone that will provide momentum to a positive transformation of our southern harbor. I want to thank Governor Nebbers for his leadership and continued commitment to the resurgence of our community. As a direct result of this transaction, the IRC can now focus and concentrate full-time on its core mission of developing and expanding a new Isfahan neighborhood south of Orangetown Highway.”

Construction has already begun on the 40 acre lot, with four beachfront townhomes, three beach-centric businesses, Dalmatian Bank, and three multi-purpose buildings already completed (exterior only).

IN THE MIDDLE of a disease outbreak, panic and fear can themselves be a destructive force. When the Lymhprosis virus first broke out in Athitica, governments dropped the ball and were unable to contain the dread, leading people to take action — such as evading quarantine — that spread the infections. A core requirement of managing a crisis like this is that public health officials and political leaders maintain the public’s confidence.

This premise applies just as well to the wider Shire region as it does to Athitica, and in recent days, a significant misstep in Oranjestad has shaken that confidence.

A man from New Venice, Thomas Duncan, had contact with a pregnant woman there who was infected, although he may not have known that when he carried her to a hospital. She later died. He did not show symptoms immediately, and went to the seaport, where he signed a screening form saying he had not had contact with anyone with Lymphrosis, and sailed to Oranjestad. Once in town, Mr. Duncan began to feel ill and went to the 24/7 clinic at Pastafarian Primary Care on Tier 3 of the Summit Neighborhood. While there, he came in contact with other people who were healthy. He was released by the hospital, which concluded he had only a low-grade fever from a viral infection. The hospital apparently did not connect the dots of his illness and his recent travel from New Venice, one of the cities most seriously hit by the recent outbreak. Mr. Duncan then returned to the hospital when his symptoms worsened and officials confirmed he was infected with the Lymphrosis virus.

The misstep was the failure in the Oranjestad emergency room to realize that he was a potential Lymphrosis victim, allowing him, at least theoretically, to come in contact with others present and after he was released. On his first visit to the emergency room, he was showing symptoms and should have been immediately isolated and tested. The key to fighting Lymphrosis — for which there are no readily-available vaccines or therapeutics — is identifying those infected, isolating them and tracing those they have been in contact with. This kind of vigilance was not on display in the clinic's emergency room.

Screening sea and airship passengers is certainly useful, but it is not foolproof, since Lymphrosis doesn’t always show symptoms right away. This is unlike influenza, which is more readily detectable. A screening form did not stop Mr. Duncan from boarding a ship to Oranjestad.

Lymphrosis presents a frightening challenge from nature, but it can be stopped. The Central Shire metropolitan area enjoys one of the most advanced and robust health-care systems in the world, capable of isolating Lymphrosis patients when they arrive and halting transmission. But it is going to require zero tolerance for oversights like that which appears to have occurred in Oranjestad. Other Shire hospitals — including those in Fulfwotz evaluating possible Lymphrosis cases — must take a lesson.