Director General of the Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority (ECCAA), Mr. Donald McPhail, has updated the Cabinet of Ministers of the Commonwealth of Dominica on development plans for an International Airport for Dominica.
The high profile meeting took place on the fringes of the Parliamentary Debate on the 2017/2018 National Budget just footsteps away from the House of Assembly at the State House Conference Center.
Also in attendance was His Excellency Charles Savarin, President of the Commonwealth of Dominica and other officials.
Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit said, “Very soon the Government shall invite a wide cross section of the population to provide an update. For the project to be successful, we will need the fullest cooperation of all.”
In his 2017/2018 National Budget Address on Thursday, July 27th, Prime Minister and Minister for Finance declared that the Government of Dominica had moved forward with plans for the development of an international airport and established an airport development fund as of May 2017.
The fund “has been capitalized with US$10 million from the Citizenship by Investment Programme,” the Prime Minister announced. He further stated, “Government has taken the decision that an amount of US$5 million will be paid into that fund on a monthly basis.”
Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit ALWAYS delivers on his promises!! Stadium – built that, West Coast Road project – built that, State House – built that, & hospital building that too. . .
Perhaps you guys missed it but PM Ralph Gonsalves promised that he would donate the used equipment from the Argyle project to help Dominica build an international airport.
Nice gesture Doctor Ralph, but we don’t need no patat international airport. The economics of such an infrastructural project just not make sense.
It is said that a promise is a comfort to a fool. Let me wait before I offer my congratulations to the government for the new airport runway to accommodate long range flights.
“Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit said, ‘Very soon the Government shall invite a wide cross section of the population to provide an update…..’ ”
What foolishness is this? What are we to provide an update on, when we were not provided with the plans in the first place? I know the PM has run-out of credible ideas, and his thinking is often in recession, but I don’t think he made that kind of foolish statement. I believe this is DNO’s error.
I agree with you. He has the so called plan under his arm as if its his grand mothers treasure!! Its the people of the proposed area who will be affected that they have to engage. What Scotts Head people have to do with the suitability of site and functionality of an airport???? Skerrit just keep fooling himself believing that all Dominicans are labourites!!! Stupes tan!
This is FAKE NEWS.I reject it,tore it and dumped it in the GARBAGE BIN..
SKERRIT MUST GO
SKERRIT MUST GO
SKERRIT MUST GO NOW!
July 10, 2017 the UWP through the opposition leader copies the US Ambassador about the Rosevelt Skerrit’s administration enduring practice of placing diplomatic passports in the hands of accused criminals. Many ask why copy the US ambassador?
And some say, these guys never learn since it is because of a similar letter to the US Government by then Hon .Eddison James (you guessed it correctly, UWP opposition leader), about not assisting with ground levelling works for a proposed Freedom Party international airport two decades or so ago that we still are in 2017 having presentations by Tom, Dick and Harry on an international airport instead of landing on the Tom, Dick and Harry international, Dominica. Some things never change.
Dat is fake news Skrit
How could a reputable news agency like DNO allow Skerrit to use them like that? Did any member of DNO staff attend a school of journalism? How could DNO use as the subject of an article “ECCAA updates Government of Dominica on development of international airport” without giving a quote from the Director General as it relates to airport and all they doing is post photos as though to suggest we are fool’s, and are blinded by photos? DNO I don’t see anything in this article suggesting a true update about airport is really taking place, and if that information is not available as yet, you should wait until you have it before running with this crap story like Matt allowed a lady from Portsmouth to call about her missing child, only to find out later that it was fake. What if we hear something later? That to me is very poor reporting with all respect to you guys
I find it strange that the ECCA will make a presentation on an international airport for Dominica at this time when the public is not aware of any designs. The ECCA will have to be knowledgeable about a specific design or designs to provide informed technical inputs. Unless this is yet again pulling wool over the faces of Dominicans,
Are you trying to fool us again?
What meeting……If it took place and it was so important to us could you please tell us what was said in the meeting?
No information to share? I personally don’t believe that we will see work on an international airport before next election.
What about de Americans…….Were you trying to fool us about that too?
What foolish story is that with no information whatsoever…… talk about FAKE NEWS!!!!
I Going to go to their website to look for my own information.
Thanks for nothing!!!!
You need to recognize nonsense, and fools thoughts when you read it. One minuet he spoke of ten million dollars, in the next breath he said they will be putting five million dollars in an account per month.
The question is this; is he talking United States currency, or East Caribbean currency? Roosevelt Skerrit stated in a Town Hall Meeting in Marigot more than five years ago that it would cost more than a billion dollars to build. If my math calculation, is correct, a billion dollars is equivalent to ten hundred million dollars.
So if he saves five million dollars per month, it might take between sixteen, and twenty plus years to accumulate more than a billion dollars to start building.
That’s only baloney talk. Remember it cost St. Vincent a little over seven hundred million to build Argyle International Airport!
That is a joke, that is another waste of time, as the rest of the Caribbean say Dominica and Roosevelt Skerrit has the most plans ever, to do everything; however, nothing ever gets done!
This is nothing more than the same ole talk, what is the grantee of getting this five million dollars per month to throw into a piggy bank whiles the source is the sale of passports.
If Roosevelt Skerrit contends it will cost more than a billion dollars as he said in Marigot more than five years ago in a meeting; how much he anticipates an International Airport will cost within another five years?
Depending on the sale of passports means that we are selling more passports than all the other nations who are in this crooked deal. This is assurance that there are more people with bought citizenship, than those of us who are born Dominicans.
Dominica no longer belong to it native born Daughters and sons. Roosevelt Skerrit has sold the country to as many unknown!
But Telemaque, all these years you on DNO condemning the fact that we do not have an international airport. Now that the government is making a move to build an international airport you are condemning the move. Make up your mind nuh man!
If you are depending on the sale of Dominica passports to build International Airport, you will never see one built.
This man Roosevelt said he set aside ten million dollars in a piggy bank, and is expected to each and every month save five million dollars into the piggy bank from the sale of passports.
I ask you to ponder on that crap for a moment, and decide how long it will take to save the one billion dollars Roosevelt Skerrit told people in Marigot more than five years ago it will cost to build an International Airport.
Let me give you an idea of how long it will take to save a billion dollars at five million per month. You can calculate it for yourself if you are mathematically inclined; nevertheless based on my kindergarten arithmetic, I concluded it will take another 16-20 years to save that billion dollars!
So, assuming he has $10,000,000.00 dollars already in the piggy bank as he claimed by the end of the twentieth year he will have saved one billion, ten million…
What did the article say? Somebody update me
Bla bla when i see then i will believe,we do not need an international airport Skerrit,look @the vi do the have one no and still bring in the tourist.
How did you arrive at the amount of US5 million per month? Do you have an estimate of how much the IA will cost? Now, say the total cost will be US 400, 000,000.00, with US 60 million a year plus the US10 million capitalization, it would take us about six and a half years to collect the money. Then another 8 years for construction making a total of almost 15 years before the airport becomes OPERATIONAL. Or are we going to build it in stages? And WHERE is it to be built?
Come on bro, you playing smart with “chupidness” again?
HOTEP!
In 17 years a government with more money at its disposal, Skerrit cannot build a simple thing as a hotel or an abbattior, is something so complicated as an international airport he can build??
Give me a break with allu magee
That’s it? After so many empty promises and stories that is all we are getting from the government. Is the Eastern Caribbean Aviation agency the American firm that was suppose to do the presentation. I am asking because information is not forthcoming and Roosevelt Skerrit is a known truth destroyer
Whatever the case, it is more prudent to develop geothermal first. Period. Electricity is the big elephant in the development. Domlec is milking us all with high rates, geothermal will be more bang for the buck, more far-reaching; including foreign direct investment crippled by high rates. At this point with so much already invested in geothermal don’t spread yourselves so thin, largely due to political pressure. There is just as much or even more benefits to lower electricity costs even for any proposed intl airport. Do that first, then tackle an intl airport. Pure political presure, But all- u won’t ask me for advice, will u? Good luck.
This reminds me of a “minister of gospel” who was raising funds to build a nursing home on church property. Members were convinced and gave towards the project. He brought in architects to display the plan to the members of the church and everyone was very exited. Millions of dollars were collected for building this nursing home. To shorten the story – Nursing home was never built. What happened to all the Millions? It prompted a family feud. Minister ending up dying; One of his lazy sons took over the church and became pastor; Then he became “Dr.” Now he is Bishop. Not even one stone got laid in the ground to masquerade a start. I’m not a “doubting” Thomas, but there is not going to be any International Airport under this crooked ad-MINI-Station. They are only playing games on the people’s mind. They excite and create false impressions in order for them to remain in power. We do not have proper roads, a good healthcare system, but they talking about International Airport.
From early on in this excercise land owners in the proposed alignment should be informed so that they do not make any further investments into their properties only to be told later in the day that their land or houses are going to be aquired. I note new houses going up at the end of Eden Road, Wesley, and in the Woodford Hill area and the owners are unaware of what is planned. The Physical Planning Division should also be on the ball so that they do not approve any new construction in this zone.
Nice…more talk…more lack…more want…
Whenever the opposition proposes a plan to build an International Airport, Skeritt always comes in with his sweet little lies about building an Intl Airport. I have seen this trick before.