American Airlines will be the first U.S. carrier to fly nonstop to St. Vincent and the Grenadines, when it starts year-round Saturday service from Miami on Dec. 22.
American is the first U.S. carrier to serve St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVD) with the introduction of the year-round Saturday service from MIA.
Caribbean Airlines launched St. Vincent service in March with a weekly nonstop flight from New York Kennedy.
St. Vincent’s new Argyle International Airport opened last year.
Additional new Caribbean service by American includes Dallas-Aruba and Charlotte to both Eleuthera and Marsh Harbour in the Bahamas, also starting Dec. 22.
While this may sound like great and exciting news, this airport took nearly a decade to build and has made SVG one of the most indebted OECS countries. Our main hospital is a national embarrassment, our clinics have to ration scarce medication, public sector wages have been frozen for years, and the government has even put taxes on salt.
My advice to whatever Dominican government is in power is not to build one as we in St Vincent have seen our country deteriorate for the past 10 years as we’ve plunged into hundreds of millions in debt.
Admin, there is usually two side of a conversation: This person pretending to be a Vincentian might well be a Dominican, or one of Gonzales agents. Therefore someone like me who is aware of the plot to prevent us from building an International Airport; by all means means must refute such garbage talk when we read it. When you censor logic you give leverage and aid to foolish sentiments.
So, look at it this way; some say it took more than ten years to build the Airport in St. Vincent, there were obstacles, such as cutting into granite-bed rocks!
We do not have that to contend with that in Dominica; all of this nonsense about medicine is irrelevant; the fact is St. Vincent have International Flights into and out of the island; that is infrastructural, and economic development!
As for cost: $700,000,000.00 dollars can be paid back in less than twenty-five years based on a variable of about twelve million dollars per year; Airports make money from landing takeoff, and passenger…
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“You guys think we need and international airport, and I don’t disagree. Have you given any thought as to how we would pay of it, or what are we prepared to give up to get one? “(Zandoli)
Zandoli as intelligent as I believe you are, I must inform you that is the most foolish comment you have have written on DNO.
That is the most illogical question one could ever ask! No need to remind that had it not been for the stupidity of Dominicans even the stupidity of agents such as Athie Martin, Dominica would have had an International Airport up and running way back as far as the year 2000!
The land is there, already bought and paid for! The government of Trinidad & Tobago loaned Dominica government the UWP government eighty (80%) percent of the total cost; the contractors from Trinidad & Tobago were in Dominica
They where in the first phase of construction of the International Airport, when Rosie Douglas, Roosevelt Skerrit, Athie Martin the chief, Ian Douglas and company…
Have you given any thought as to how we would pay of it, or what are we prepared to give up to get one? “(Zandol ).
Continue:
Again without any intentions of insulting you; harsh as it might seem; do not regard this as an insult; nevertheless the question in the quote is a stupid! So, I asks you what did St. Vincent have to give up in order to do what is right to spend whatever amount of money was required to modernized, and bring St. Vincent on par with the rest of the developed world. The cost of Argyle is just over $700,000,000.00 dollars.
What did St. Lucia, Grenada, Antigua and the rest of the English Speaking of the Caribbean have to give up? Ask how they are paying for their Airports?
Fact is they are no longer dependent on LIAT and for the moment one can get direct International flights into and out of St. Vincent.
Not: government of China said Dominica without an International Airport is doomed!
FET, I know a bit more about St. Vincent than you give me credit for. Trust me when I tell you they had to give up a lot to get that airport.
Furthermore, just because you have an airport that does not mean they will come. Tobago has an airport and the government of Trinidad and Tobago pays millions to subsidize the airlines that fly to that destination.
We need better connections and shorter lay overs into and out of Dominica. Once you get that, you are good to go.
I was in Las Vegas last weekend. On my way to Vegas, I had to connect in Charlotte (90 minutes). On my way back home, I had to connect in LA (2.5 hours). That did not stop me from making the trip.
People are used to connecting at airports. What they (and I don’t like) are 5 and 6 hour or overnight connections.
AA chose Saturday so they can charge the weekend rate. I’m sure those ticket will be sky high
Why is Dominica the only island without an International Airport?
Then we talk about tourism.
What a Joke .
Is it that Difficult. To build.?
My conclusion
Our Politicians need to raise the Bar . Time to do something.
Do you guys not seeing that a Piority .
You guys think we need and international airport, and I don’t disagree. Have you given any thought as to how we would pay of it, or what are we prepared to give up to get one?
Among the OECS, we have one of the smallest populations except St. Kitts and Montserrat/BVI. They have much larger economies than we do. One can argue their airports have contributed to their larger economies.
I have some reservations about DLP embarking on an airport project. If you think Skerrit and his ministers are rich now, there would not be enough space in the vaults of AID Bank to hold money for that group if they were in charge of the project.
Another thing, these guys have no clue as to how to grow an economy. Therefore instead of the airport being a net benefit to the economy, it would be a drag.
Unless another more competent person takes the helm of state, let us make do with what we have.
Zandoli u making nosence you have to get the airport first. How can u invite people to your house and u have no home thats 2018 .I am sorry for you.
I have never been in my life come up against such small talk and ignorant sets of people, every single thing is a problem to those Workers party supporters, They are now on about Dominica do not have a international airport, I would like to remind such people Mr Edison James of the workers party said that they would be building a international airport when it boil down to it workers party did not have a penny to do so they were just brainwashing their supporters like they are still doing now nothing has changed!!
U need to do ur homework
Are you that STUPID, BLIND, DUMB, FOOLISH or INCOMPETENT? Should donate your brains and heart to Ross University for research when you die. It would be a good specimen to study the effect of ignorance, evil, stupidity on the brains and heart.
And Robert Tonge and Skerro ready to burst with excitement about Carnival Cruise Line pitying us and coming for a visit this summer.
Cruise tourist does not aid in increasing the tourism dollar, stay-over tourist does….. cruise tourist does not create sustainable livelihood development, it does not aid in reducing Dominica’s high unemployment rate…. stay-over tourist would as it would cause a ripple effect—-> increase the multiplier effect of the tourist dollar…… creating and strengthen backward linkages to other sectors thus allowing for development and strengthen of the private sector that would in turn provide employment.
you all seeing how things are entwined and work together…. so let Skerrit continue to fool allu with roads and a couple of 100s at the red clinic
You guys are ungrateful. The present Labor government gave you an appropriately named Charles-Douglas International Airport. What else do you want, a 15,000 foot runway into the sea? Folks, the beauty and attraction of Dominica is Dominica–remote and untamed. Let us keep it that way.
If your comments are intended to be sarcastic; I suppose a two year old could have done better! I think you are serious about your foolishness.
In the first place there is no international Airport in Dominica; that is another lie of Roosevelt Skerrit, telling you all that Melville Hall Airport is an International Airport, and dumb people like you believe his lie!
Ralph Gonzales after demanding that Roosevelt do not build an International Airport in Dominica; went home to St. Vincent; constructed and built Argyle International Airport in his country. When it was completed, he insulted Roosevelt, and people like you when he said: ” All of the English speaking Independent Nations of the Caribbean has an International Airport: except Dominica!”
He went on to say; ” I hope Mr. Skerrit will come to the inauguration of our International Airport.” Sometimes our sarcasms expose the true idiot we are!
There are no International Airport in Dominica, and one will never be…
That is true melville hall is not international. We do not need one since we will not have hotels to accomodate the passengers coming to DA
@ Francisco, It is years now you been on DNO and what not putting out crap about prime minister Dr. Skerrit simply the best, still your words has no sense no effect on Mr Skerrit, and his administration, instead his party is getting stronger by the Day. And that order ahole Ido France, man bite dogs, will keep on bitting idiots dogs like you low down Viperine water snakes.
Silver idiot, I am not the one suffering you know; I am not eating Roosevelt feces. Dr. Skerrit bought a bit of paper from a non-accredited university in Punjab India; a none accredited school or university is somewhat of a mill manufacturing bogus honorary degrees; a bit of paper with absolutely no academic or scholastic value!
Hahaahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!
I earned four scientific degrees from an accredited university, and one junior college here in the United States. I can use my credentials to seek employment if I had the need to.
fortunately, I will never have to seek employment for the rest of my life, and surely, I have never stole “thief” anything in my entire life, yet I have all the money I will ever need to sustain me for the rest of my life, and die and leave the to my children, and grandchildren.
Now FBI; New Scotland Yard, nor INTERLOPE can ever confiscate any of my assets eh!
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque is not a thief eh!
Dr…
you must be from another galaxy!!! seriously????????????
Untamed like Skerrit you mean, backward Dominican.
Proverbs 13:20 is a very good discription of Dominicans and it tells us why Dominica is us in that mess we are in: ” companion of fools will suffer harm pro. 13:20″ Dominicans are fools because only fools would allow a man to destroy their estate or business and keep supporting him. My heart bleeds for my country. How could we have Skerrit destroying our country like that. Are we sick? Just to keep uwp out? My God what is wrong with you all? Skerrit has shown that he has no damn interest in Dominica, except to take our wealth. As a government Minister the man sort for and took French citizenship. AllWhen he wanted a wife he went to the US to get one dispite the many hearts broken in DA. When it was time for his children to be born he ensured they we’re Americans. Then he moved his family to the US, while he is the sitting pm. All of his key ambassadors and advisors are foreigners. He took our international airport and gave to St. Vincent and all you still voting him? Sacwe sort
When Dominicans wake up to the realization that there will be no international airport as long as the DLP remains in office, the earlier we get there.
Dominica Nice! Everyone who arrives in Antigua or Barbados after 1:00 p.m. has to overnight. We are back to the sixties because in the seventies we could catch the 5:00 p.m. flight and be in Dominica the same day.
We have 2 airports already all we need to do is develop them. Tradwind and Cape Air can servive canefield from San juan & Providenciales.
Service the Canefield Airport
I wish I had the time to explain economic impact on travelers to you, but this space is too short so I will keep it simple. A family of four plans a vacation to the Caribbean for the summer. The other islands are averaging say $500.00 per ticket based on travel and purchase time. Dominica averages $850.00-$900.00. Which option will the family choose?
We do not need an international airpoet . We have the Canefield and Douglas Charles that needs development. The Canefield Airport roofing needs to be done. New airlines can operate in Dominica like Tradewind Aviation to Providenciales from Canefield. Cape Air from San Juan and lots more.
The truth is Ralph Gonsalves wanted a future for his people and therefore he tricked Roosevelt Skerrit and got an international airport from Tiwan. Roosevelt Skerrit on the other hand realized that Dominicans are not real and Dominica is not a real country so he sort for pit toilets for Dominicans and that what he gave them maybe he saw long time that we we’re a S..hole country that just needed a place to poopoo. Unfortunately Maria destroyed his pit latrines. Another big difference between Gonsalves and Skerrit is, Skerrit sees the sale of our passports to crooks and criminals as the only way out because he knew that would only provide a future for him and a few top friends. Ralph Gonsalves on the other hand rejected the sale of his passport because he wanted to create a better future for his family, friends and citizens. Skerrit didn’t care about a future in Dominica because he moved his wife and children out long time ago. So stay blind and stupid with labar power. Sacwe sort
” got an international airport from Taiwan”
We didn’t get anything for free. We went from a debt/GDP ratio of 52% before the airport to 85% after the airport. Vincentians are being squeezed with high taxes and frozen wages as we speak while persons have stolen millions from the airport company. We had to have 3 different accountants because all of them stole.
Also, there are many who still have not been paid for the lands taken up by the airport since building it drained the country dry of money.
Be careful what you wish for.
If Jacob (Gonsaves) had not tricked Esau (Skerrit), the headline of this article would probably read: American airlines launching DAILY service to Dominica. But you see Esau was short sighted, hungry, greedy, was only interested in the now, so birthright meant nothing to . Like Anancy he only wanted food, where’s Jacob saw a bright future ahead for him and his family and could fast a plate of food that would finish in the toilet in less than no time. By the way no wonder pit latrine pm was so captivated by building pit latrine. Today Jacob aka Gonsaves of STV is delivering a better future for his people while Esau has us begging and depending on handout. All they can do is lie and decieve us. In 2013, they told us we we’re going to have a direct flight from Florida to Dominica. Then in 2016 another one was supposed to begin in June 2017. Like the fake hospitals of Monfared, they were only in the the sky but https://dominicanewsonline.com/news/homepage/news/business/__trashed-3/
And Once again Dominica will be like the cheese that standing alone. It so hard to buy an $800 ticket when you want to go states and free up. But when you say things like we need a bigger air port. You hate the government. The international air port we didnt need, all countries getting it.
We do not need one at this time . If we have on airlines will not come unless tickets are vought and seats filled.
Garcon you making too much sense. It’s better to pay $800.00 to travel to and from Dominica, instead of $500.00 and sometimes even $400.00 if you buy your ticket early. Let the other islands prosper and we stay behind God’s back as always.
Don’t forget it was just last year Skerroo told us that he was in talks with some Chinese business men about coming to Dominica to build and international airport very soon!
Can Skerroo tell the people of Dominica what happened to these men? I guess maybe they were coming from a cracker-jack box?
They are on their way, they have been delayed in Marie Garlante
Yes I remember not today that jack ahss saying bout some boot nonsense to build the airport…how much years now… I mean that labour party is a waste of gord damn time… man them fellas there just rinning the country so easy like driving a Frickin automatic trapspot. ..because no one does nothing when these liars lie to the people..I mean where in the world u see those nonsense there… 18 years and them man cannot improve the hehehe life of people. .. look the amount of large airlines that traveling in the other countries. … And dominicans sitting there and allowing Mr them to ruin there life there hopes amend dreams… I mean it’s simple ..Mr them can’t perform ..vote there blasted ars out of there … what sense having them there??? U think you can’t have a decent life in Dominica? It’s because of these louwzy currupt fellas there that’s why our standard of living like that… let’s vote them man thee out…
Lies, lies and more lies. He knows he keep Dominicans happy with hollow promises. He has been doing it successfully for the last 18 years. Guess what, there are some hard liners who still swallow his daily dose of BS.
Talk is cheap my boy and Skerrit makes even lies sound plausible.
Will Dominica see an international airport under this regime? Among the best ways to judge a man’s future actions are to look at what he has done in his past. So do you think Skerooo has it in his genes to command an audacious project like that?
For the record , I don’t think he has it in him, he is too lazy minded.
All you remember that this airport idea was raised with Skerrit with Ralph Gonzales , but the inexperience Skerro allowed St. Vincent P.M to fool him again, convincing him that Dominica does not need an International Airport , in the mean time Gonzales went a long to build what we are seeing AA about to land on. I guess our leader does not want to see Dominica progress! So my point is that with leaders like Skerroooo , Dominica will not develop.
I love Dominica , so Skerritt must go!!
could not have said it better Massacre, I remember when ralph said it ” you don’t need an international Airport” and the laboutrates jumping up at benjamin park …shouting yeaaahhhhh!!
I have been saying this eh, ever since i read about current gov. in Dominica, the man keeps lying to the people, saying he’s doing this, that and that, where’s the soup, all i see is dry dashin, no substance.. the man does nothing good for Dominica, Maria come and knock his roof off and he there crying, what, why you so surprised, you think God is not watching, God knows who is not being doing right by him, you continue your way and his wrath comes you can’t cry.
Good for SVG
Persons usually say if everything in DA has to be politics. BUt we the citizens voted each member to to represent country first. I must say its a shame the leader of SVG came to an election campaign rally 2 elections ago & stated Dominica doesn’t need an international airport.It was greeted with massive cheers however in that same year he went back to his people to announce SVG was going to build a state of art international airport with gates. Upon completion our prime minister went there & congratulate him. Where is the vision?? Do we as a people are going to hold this leaders responsible…. sighh
Weh boy. When is AA or Virgin Atlantic going to land in Dominica? We are in a perpetual state of bliss. Millions of dollars spent on the Melville Hall airport, where’s the increased in flights? Where’s the increase in night landings that was so touted about? In fact whatever was done in the ‘improvement ‘ seems to make the airport more vulnerable to natural disasters.
Man it’s a sad state of affairs when trying to return to your home country. It’s an adventure just to make it back home especially on the same day. It’s a damn shame that in 2018, one has to rely on your sister countries to get to your own country. All little rocks in the Caribbean has an international airport except Dominica which still living in the 1970’s.
Look Ross might be gone, one reason being air access. Many hotels being built, but where are the big jets bringing in hundreds of over night tourists. The land for the airport was already appropriated, work could have started years ago. No national pride…
All you even lucky Liat still coming here
Men im telling you. If liat stops thats it. Dominica msin airport dread.
That’s good for St Vincent but unfortunately O am from Dominica and only concerned about what benefits Dominica. Is American airlines or jet blue, spirit, us air offering weekly, monthly, or yearly service to Dominica? After all, regardless of the reason, when the DLP came into office they met a daily American Eagle flight to Dominica so that’s another thing that disappeared under Skerrit. If Skerrit has to stay in power for another two years we will even lose the daily FedEx . Eagles gone, Amerijet gone, the Venezuelan flight they told us was coming never came, last year they told us they were working with Nowegian airline to help with their Guadalupe and Martinique flight but alah they seemed to have even caused them to disappear from both Guadalupe and Martinique. Boy Da in one kind of a pitch dark hole eh
You mean allu still looking for international airport? Lol. Wait still.
With all the rebuilding in Dominica after Maria, An international Airport is lost in the prints for new infrastructure on the Island.
I Guess me and most of Us my age that want this, will have to dream it in Heaven.
Very sad but true to me..
The BIG questions now are; Will LIAT increase airlift capacity to SVG form Dca and neighboring islands? Will the Ferry head to St.Vincent on a frequent basis in response to AA? Watching and waiting
Assertive like the rod of Moses!
Dominica stay kanana again,
Meanwhile in Dominica, we arguing who crossed floor. We will always remain last kaka rat. SMH
Charles Douglas next , but not AA, is BA
ST.Vincent Blinging on us.
Dominica next see u guys home on saturday 2/30pm. Flight NO112.