Kry mgmt is caught between hugo, the incompetent VZ admin and the pursuit of the permit. They can't pound on a desk and threaten to do what? A law suit? which would take years. This situation requires diplomacy, an appeal to logic of the benefits LC would bring to VZ and the people etc. etc. Cross the invisible line and things may slow down more. Restraint from verbal attacks at the VZ gov't IMO shows that they really are massaging VZ and moving the process to conclusion = PERMIT.

Still waters run deep!