The government has completed the process of land acquisition for the construction of an international airport in Dominica, according to Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit.
He said recently during his regular Sunday talk show that plans are in place to house Wesley residents who were displaced due to the proposed construction of the international airport in that area.
“In terms of land acquisition, we have completed the process under the law, we are continuing to make payments to property owners as we go along,” the prime minister stated.
“It’s a bit tedious because you have many of these properties that are owned by families or are in the hands of an estate where the rightful owners died and they left a will…” he said adding that there are people who have mortgages from financial institutions, “so we have to be engaging these financial institutions.”
There are some cases he said of people who do not have titles for their land, ” and we have to work on this; so every one case is not the same.”
He said “as time goes by” the government is making payments those people who have accepted cash only for compensation.
“It’s going very well, we have given the trigger to start the homes for those affected….we are going through the process of allocating lands for agricultural purposes,” he reported.
According to the prime minister, the international airport project as a “very huge” undertaking with many different parts and considerations.
“This is not a house we are building or a health centre, it is an international airport that has a number of safety issues that you have to be mindful of…,” he noted.
He also revealed that the government has acquired all the equipment for the lab to deal with the testing and geotechnical studies.
“…We have identified [the] location for the construction of the lab and we will start construction of that lab very soon,” he said. “We are ready to move and it is just a matter of signing off on the agreement with the developer and once that is done I think you will see some real movement taking place.”
I hope that my country will progress to the best in action, not just in words
I hope that my country will progress to the best in action, not just in words
They say, that you get married in haste , and repent at leisure.
Take care this is not such a case.
Where are the feasibility studies for this airport?
Is Mr Skerrit afraid to publish them?
Who is supplying the finance?
If it is China, they will take all of Dominica if we default on the loans.
Naturally, Mr Skerrit already has multiple bolt holes in the USA – and elsewhere to escape to, and funds galore in the Bahamas and in shell companies all over the world, to live comfortably for the rest of his life.
Dominicans do not have such contingencies. They will be treated worse than the Uighurs in China. I predict that China will enslave all Dominicans, to pay for this fancy airport. (Remember you first heard it here- from me, a man from Charlotte ville!)
Stop hiding and tell us the truth Mr Skerrit, before it is too late.
I seem to remember that Colonel Patrick John tried that trick before and failed.
There is nothing new under the sun.
Usually I’m a skeptic, but the details posted in this news report sounds credible. The issue of people owning land, but having no title to prove that they actually own the land is very common in Dominica. The land has to be surveyed, a map drawn and documents filed with the appropriate governmental. That is an expensive undertaking for most, so it’s never done. If the soil samples are questionable, there are several solutions that engineers can employ to address these. Such large scale projects will always be difficult on island, given our geography and high annual rainfall. Furthermore, these large complex projects are never as cut and dry as they appear. Despite the best technical and engineering planning, there will always be surprises for a project this large and this complex.
Nothing wrong with an international airport and in 2021 it is a basic infrastructural necessity. My concern is what wrong with the site which was surveyed, land paid for and feasibility tests done. Plus passing the airport through Wesley means more people and property to relocate.
The original site could have produced a 10000 ft runway compared to Skerrits Compton point which will be about 7000ft. Melville Hall is 5700 ft.
Ask me who playing politics since the year 2000. You have a better site and no land acquisition fee yet you refuse it because is done other political entity that initiated it. Who stays lagging in the end not the political parties but Dominica.
I read most of the comments on here and it sad that some of us can’t have a constructive discussion. I am not an expert in building an airport. I am from the area which will be directly impacted.
I welcome any development for beloved Island of Dominica especially Wesley.
After reading this DNO extract, I got a few questions I hope could be answered.
1. Why is the government acquiring the properties in the area if the necessary testing and studies are not done?
2. What happens if that area is not suitable after completing the necessary test?
3. Shouldn’t the test completed first then based on the results aquire the land?
4. Where is the transparency in all this, can we see at least a proposed plan on paper and not a simulation?
5. Is the government certain that they have aquire all the necessary property? Remember I am from the area and I do support the development.
6. When was the last consultant held with the people in the area directly impacted?
7. Who…
It’s just more of the same old, they saddle the horse from the back. This entire story tells me one thing and one thing only, there won’t be an international airport in our live time. This is yet another smoke screen that good for propaganda and that’s it.
Best to be hopeful and optimistic though it seems to me that the PM is saying that the process of land acquisition is complete “under the law”, but payments are still being made.
This sounds to me like everybody agreed to payment of a certain amount, but even where there are persons who would not have agreed, the acquisition is a done deal. Note he himself says that there are instances of family land ownership and death of the owner etc..
This is particularly interesting because I know ppl who are earmarked for relocation and have not received money or does not have this kind of decision information at their disposal.
So…let’s wait and see sa!
Congratulations. This a great step in the right direction. Can’t wait to bring family for Dominica visit.
Alex,You will have many years to wait ,so start saving.
He doesn’t have to save, no doubt he is one of them that come to DA every 5 years courtesy of our treasury.
Hello and good morning my people. They should divert the Marigot River and extend the runway of the current airport. We don’t have the capacity to make an international airport profitable. The should also put barriers in the water to break the waves.
Diverting the river isn’t that easy. If it was, we would be discussing this here. And again international airports or most, needs a go around and approach of the the directions of runways.. Our airport only has one desirable approach in that scenario.
The Mountains is an issue. The new airport if built, will be able to accommodate approaches on either side of the runway.
Divert the river to where? It’s all of the skepticism why we’ve yet to have an International Airport. Wish it could be built in Vieille Case. We’d welcome that opportunity. Visitors don’t bring an International Airport, an International Airport brings visitors. Once complete, with the right management team it’ll be profitable. By-the-way, I think it’d be less expensive to extend the Melville Hall Airport into Londonderry, as opposed to starting over. But, oh well. It is what it is.
By the time the thing is built we’ll all have transport beams like in Star Trek. It’s Dominica, after all.
Another elusive Skerrit commentary on a project. It would be very helpful if actual facts and figures could be provided, as once again lack of info leads to confusion, misinformation, and allegations of graft. It would be helpful to know:
– How many families need to be relocated/compensated?
– What percentage have already been paid?
– Is there a date set for the construction of the lab?
– What is the approximate date for completion of the relocation/compensation stage?
Afterall, Skerritt supposedly started this compensation process back in 2018, according to this Sept 24th DNO article where he stated:
“We are finalizing negotiations with several property owners, we have started the process of paying property owners for their properties and that will be an ongoing process. We will start the construction of residencies for some people who will be affected in the next couple weeks…”
Have any of these residences been completed as yet?
We never could this day understand and comprehend what he says, what he wants to say and how he says it confuses we the people. I will always say that this Labour government is a failure, Incompetent, and lacks leadership be and vision. For Skerrit he’s just this failed politician holding on to his position where it is obvious that he’s a failure and Incompetent. After 20 long years in our Government apart by from the Deceptive Red Clinic we have not seen not benefit anything of substance from this failed incompetent Skerrit. We desperately would like the see the back of Skerrit and his failed Labour government.
Therefore this Labour government has failed us big time and will continue as long as this man is out of our government and our people. We are not in this blind Loyalty business where some shout out “We Love Our PM”. What a shame and who wants to accommodate this failed overstayed Odd Prime Minister and his failed Labour Government. We Welcome our UWP Hon Lennox Linton for…
When you say,”We never could this day understand and comprehend what he says, what he wants to say and how he says it confuses we the people.” Who are you referring to as “We,” well of course, if you put the blue veil over you, your political partisan beliefs, you will spend the whole of your life writing such nonsensical narrative, pity your understanding.
Gary, you have come out of self imposed quarantine agitated and on the attack. Every time Mr. Deception gets in trouble he endeavors to change the subject by touting the construction of this ghost international airport.
It’s incomprehensible that an international airport that has been bandied about for the last twenty (20) years by this DLP maladministration that not even a ceremonial shovel of earth has taken place to this day.
Imagine the commencement of the construction of this airport is imminent but there are no EIA, plans, drawings, cost, duration of the construction process, name(s) of investor(s).
Stop carrying water for an incredibly evil deceiver.
Why do you keep making silly assumptions about me, it is the same thing you do with your opinions. The “Mister deception” you should be concerned about is the one that lives within you, your beliefs. As to “the incredibly evil deceiver” again it just shows what your political partisan beliefs has done to your mind.
Hush your mouth. You are one of those ‘brown nosed’ ones. Skerrit or the DLP mean nothing for you but you still defend on each and every occasion because you are in for the money. You are one of those without principles or scruples. Any idea what happened with the missing CBI money? Any idea why your master finds it necessary to employ unlawful election treating every five years? Any idea why your master is afraid of drones? Any idea why your master refuses to speak to proper journalists? I could go on for hours. Your master is a gangster and he has a lot to hide!
Right on to you, Gary! I always wonder why those guys are using “we” in their conversation through their reference of Dominicans, when their followers are just a handful of people.
Stop being political in everything Mr. Viewexpressed and appreciate what the PM is doing. Why does everything has to be politics? You might not appreciate the PM but appreciate what he is doing. Lennox is just another as…… He has nothing better to do or say. Sour grapes.
Stop being political? Politics affects all things in this country. The standard of living, education, the economy, the food we eat, even the air we breathe, our beaches, rivers and environment, the income we earn, the clothes we wear, etcetera.
Everything that Mr. Sherrie and his slavish enablers do is meticulously calculated for political expedience. Once Viewexpressed speaks truth to power I’m good with it. I have to admit that the man is mostly on point.
So called ds don’t tell me what to think. I work within the system and aware of the rotten work of failed Skerrit. How I arrive at this..? Well go drive all over the villages of Dominica and the disruptive and poor shelters, housing these families, with babies and children with toddlers and also members of their aging families. That airport is not going to financial reward us under Skerrit. A structure is crucial but what is needed that Skerrit lacks is the absolute functioning of this airport. We are not convinced that the environment of the airport Is not accommodating for visitors, our people etc.Skerrit is not visionary on matters as such. He’s good buying loyalty, example this devious “Red Clinic” where he has our poor struggling people and many unemployed will qué up for cash. This is shameful, it’s Welfare role. We want endless visitors here. We want them to come. Is our Dominica prepared? Therefore Skerrit is NOT. We need change. We Welcome our UWP Hon.LENNOX LINTON as…
DS, please wake up and focus on the issue at hand. Failed We know is The Prime Minister, however we are citizens of our Dominica’and those in office NOW over 20 long years have failed us and Why? Simple because your Skerrit and his obsolete thoughts has not helped we the people of Dominica and therefore he has Failed us and just this Failed Pappyshow government.
We have witnessed this on-going of our States money through this deceitfullness Abusive begging Red Clinic where our suffering people and families have to walk up this Office of Prime Minister to receive hard cash for votes and loyalty. Skerrit therefore has not earned his position of Prime Minister, he’s seen as this “Off failed incompetent Minister, the reasons why our people and our Dominica is in a state of deprivation, begging, abusive and obviously Skerrit has no knowledge of the Development of our Suffering unemployed people desperately in need of jobs to feed our people and not have our States funds abused…
ok D’s, tell us what this failed Labour Leader is doing? Please tell us in detail. You can start your response with his corrupted devious “Red Clinic”. Therefore rather than creating good substantive jobs for our many suffering people he’s out there deceitfully buying fake loyalty from people like you and your family to come beg to him at the Deceptive “Red Clinic” to gain loyalty from you and our poor struggling Suffering people just to gain fanfare and blind Loyalty by giving you all regular states cash that you’ll will vote for him. Skerrit has no developmental plans for you and families and those he asked to come to the Red Clinic ,(His Office) to receive our States funds that we pay taxes that he use his brain and commonsense towards profitable plans to elevate you’ll and your family from begging and to gain loyalty and fame. This behaviour is political deceptiveness and corruption. Skerrit know not how to develop our ailing Dominica, he’s this fanfare with no wisdom…
And who is that developer Roosevelt?
CHINA. Go figure.
When the Chinese construct an airport they build it for a dual purpose civilian and military. What better way for them to have a runway on Dominica that can also be used for their Air Force than to masquerade it as a civilian airport. China will not construct an airport on Dominica unless it can also be for military use what better way to have an air base in the middle of the Caribbean in case there is a confrontation with the US or Britain. Contrary to popular beliefs China never does anything for “Free” such as maybe constructing a long 10,000 + foot runway on Dominica.
North to South, East to West, what is the proposed direction for this new fabulous runway. If the direction is mostly North to South, then crosswinds will be a major factor especially for big planes, and this airport may be obsolete before it even exists. Please educate me.
Are you truly wanting to be educated. Stop fooling yourself, someone who wants to be educated does not make a conclusion
like you did, saying, “this airport may be obsolete before it even exists.” Before you can be educated you need to drop all your beliefs, say you do not know, then you can be educated, as of now you are just fooling yourself
Gary your point is pointless. I would even tempted to say asinine.
I can have an opinion about something nothing is wrong with that. It might take someone to disabuse of my opinion with the objective facts and logic of their argument. Just perhaps that person my just strengthen my conviction.
Gary, it’s much better to close your snout and let people think you are ignorant than to open it and remove all doubt.
Stop whining and grinding. You all ask for an international airport and he is about to give it to you all and you all still complaining. What are your problems? Get a life and do something productive with yourselves.
Where are the studies and assessments?
Please forgive my ignorance, but if the red line indicates the direction of the runway for the airport, isn’t crosswinds going to be an issue? The alignment appears to me to be more North to South than East to West, and our winds mostly blow out of the East. Can someone please enlighten me. Thanks..
Crosswinds, the wind usually blows off the Atlantic from the east non stop. Was that taken into consideration. Are they going to destroy beautiful country for nothing when planes will have difficulty landing in crosswinds and may refuse to land there. Why don’t they extend the current airport runway instead and save money in the process.