St. Lucia airports fully operational, destination opens for business this Friday

Saint Lucia’s airports in the north and south of the island are now fully operational following the passage of Hurricane Tomas, a Category 1 storm, over the weekend.

Senator Allen Chastanet, Saint Lucia’s Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister, reported that over the past few days Saint Lucians of walks of life joined hands in “true community spirit” to clear roads, clean debris and help communities return to a state of normalcy.

As of Tuesday, November 2, the island’s two airports – Hewanorra International Airport in the south and George F. L. Charles Airport in the north of the island – were open for business; and American Eagle had increased services at George F. L. Charles Airport to move passengers who had previously been delayed between San Juan, Puerto Rico and Saint Lucia.

“We are pleased to report that major roads have been cleared and the Castries-Vieux Fort and Soufrière-Vieux Fort thoroughfares are now fully motorable,” Senator Chastanet said, thanking the state authorities, businesses and private citizens for helping facilitate critical access between the north and the south.

Electricity has been restored to 80 percent of the island while power will flow to 90 percent of the country by this weekend. Most resorts currently have adequate water, and water supply should be restored in short order after detailed inspections revealed damage to the water dam is substantially less than expected. Most businesses resumed operations this week.

Senator Chastanet reported that “incredible improvements are being made every day to clean up debris littered throughout the island while tourism stakeholders intimated no significant damage to their properties and attractions.”

Buoyed by the clean-up work of the Saint Lucian populace, the Tourism Minister declared, “We look forward to welcoming visitors by air from Europe, North America and the Caribbean with regularity from this Friday, November 5 – a week earlier than previously forecast.”

Senator Chastanet also announced that cruise ships will resume calls to the island from November 7.

“Our prayers are with our brothers and sisters here and in the Eastern Caribbean who have been affected by this storm as well as those elsewhere in the region who are bracing themselves for its arrival over the next few days,” said Senator Chastanet.

The tourism minister noted the government was working with local, regional and international partners to help deliver humanitarian assistance to communities that have been affected by Hurricane Tomas.

For further information, please contact the closest Saint Lucia Tourist Board office: Head Office: 1 758 452-4094; UK:  207 341-7002; USA: 1 800 456-3984 and Canada: 1 800 869-0377.

There will be a further update within 24 hours.

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11 Comments

  1. hershey for life u done no north side big up
    November 4, 2010

    that is not the way to do it do on to others as they do on to u big up the nation u done u help build the nation hahaha…………….. true hershey yh

  2. hershey for life u don no north side big up
    November 4, 2010

    plz that is not good do on to others as they do on to u next it can be us just help your .whole nation

  3. interesting
    November 4, 2010

    But this Minister did not visit Soufriere? Then again, he can’t because it is only accessible by boat. How can he say all major roads are cleared when today HTS reported that only motorable access to Soufriere is through Choisseul and they are encouraging persons to stay away. LIAT is ferrying persons from Hewanerra to Vigie airport.

    People are unaccounted for in Fond St Jacques where the entire community has been evacuated cause it was buried under a mudslide.

    No water in Castries far less for the south. This Minister is something else. Yes you want tourists but St Lucia is in no position to accomodate tourists.

    Check out this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUNmM0D-AXM

    Is that a St Luci
    a you would want to visit as a tourist? STM

  4. willaim roberts
    November 4, 2010

    well done to the people of st lucia i will be there on 13th nov

  5. sigh
    November 4, 2010

    The north of the island where all the hotels are, didnt get much damage or very little.

  6. smart dominican
    November 3, 2010

    the only way to recover from disaster is to make money run. Let the tourist come and money have to make people. when will it not be a disaster. It will be a while in Lucia do we wait forever. Man bring dollars

  7. rasta man
    November 3, 2010

    but mr chastanet saying roads open and everything back to normal. if that is the case why have they asked liat to shuttle passengers between airports to facilitate persons who were left stranded cuz of the storm? he made no mention of that but thats expected cuz hes the biggest liat hater there is. guess hes ashamed to make mention of liat coming to the rescue of st lucia people after he had been constantly calling on liat to be closed down. why didn’t they think of asking american to ferry those people? mr chastanet i hope you learn to appreciate whats your (liat).

  8. Lycan
    November 3, 2010

    Chastenet should stop his evil ways and repent, then St Lucia will b blessed.

  9. Truth, Justice, Love, Peace and Unity
    November 3, 2010

    After a hurricane, everything takes time to clear up and to be restored to normality as roads and businesses. With the help of God, life has to go on. St. Lucians take heart.

  10. bunny
    November 3, 2010

    take that kamla.

  11. 365 RIVERS
    November 3, 2010

    TO ALL ST. LUCIANS, KEEP THE FAITH AND YOU WILL OVERCOME THIS DIFFICULT TIMES.
    ALL DOMINICANS WILL PRAY FOR YOU.

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