Government signs $52 million contract for second phase of Airport Road Project

PRESS RELEASE – The Government of Dominica has signed a contract with Emile Gaddarkan et Fils valued at XCD $52 million for the construction of the second phase of the Airport Road – from Pond Casse to Melville Hall (Lot2).

The Government of the Republic of France through the Agence Francaise de Developpement has provided the financial resources for Lot 2.

Lot 2 comprises sections two and three. Section II is from Pond Casse – Pegau Bay (24 km or 15 miles) and Section III is from Pegua Bay – Melville Hall (8 km or 5 miles).

Lot 2 will involve road works, much excavation, the construction of sea wall structures and rock revetment, bridges and retaining walls and the construction of guard rails to improve road safety.

The duration of Lot 2 is estimated at 20 months.

Mr. Jack Gaddarkan, speaking on behalf of Emile Gaddarkan et Fils said at the contract signing ceremony that as far as is possible, local people, including truckers and small contractors would be used during the construction phase of the project.

Work on the surfacing of the Lot 1, (Section I) Canefield to Pond Casse (13 km or 8 miles) is expected to begin later this month. Lot 1 is being financed by the Government of Dominica at a cost of $29.4 million. Lot 1 is expected to be completed within weeks.

The Roseau to Melville Hall Road is one of the primary links of the Dominica road network, connecting the main airport at Melville Hall to the capital city of Roseau.

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24 Comments

  1. thunder horse
    May 29, 2010

    GOD BLESS THE DLP, YOU’RE DOING A DAMN GOOD JOB

  2. french coup
    May 27, 2010

    Take a look at those of is who are still wearing “together we must…”on Our foreheads and “thank God for Skerrit” on our chest, we are all sleeping on the streets, being held at gun point by his fellow French men while fishing ‘our’ waters, being dusted by quarry dust in our villages,
    Denied employement and contracts. Are we not all 3rd class citizens in our country?

  3. Anonymous
    May 27, 2010

    where are they going to build dominica wesley international airport ?????

  4. LABOUR POWERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
    May 26, 2010

    Now That IS A BLASTEDDDDDDDDD WORKING GOVERNMENT!

  5. ITASSI IN FLORIDA
    May 26, 2010

    We want PROGRESS but we still have COMPLAINTS. I think all of your concerns are legitimate; but, don’t you think the PM has thought of all that? What do you want people? Without good roads and definitely without an improved AIRPORT there’ll not be much PROGRESS. So, just WAIT and see what happens.

    GO ROOSEVELT!!!!!!!!!!

    • fuente
      October 26, 2011

      what more we want? let me see, first all these projects are good, but we have to realise they are short term projects and a country can never grow with just short term projects.

      we need to move towards sustainable economy development where we can creat jobs, that will keep the economy growing.

      unless the govt starts giving us the way to be self sufficient we will never grow. we always keep begging

  6. Anonymous
    May 26, 2010

    dominica needs an international airport when will night landing start has it been 28 days

    • lola
      May 27, 2010

      night landing,,, you know i not going to be on any flight landing at night to melville hall, it dangerous enough when it light, and de plaxce not ready for night flight, where de emergancy services if any ting go wrong…….

      its is like my fellow dominicans forget all de past dat airport have….

  7. Viv
    May 26, 2010

    I hope he will use some of that money to pay the truckers that were working on lot1. Months now the ppl have not gotten a dime and the government still give gadarkan to continue the project.

  8. Concerned
    May 26, 2010

    We would like to know what arrangements are being made for the residents of Pond case, Penrice, Gleau Gommier, Belles and Concord in terms of transportation. There are people who work and go to school in Roseau so will the road be completely shut down like the Roger road? What about the elderly in the area – what if we have an emmergency and need to rush someone to the hospital? Tell us about ACCESS please. Thank you.

  9. french divide and rule
    May 26, 2010

    What qualifications does Gardakan have over veille case contractor anthony leblanc who is a 1st class honors and masters in civil engineering? Has ace engineering company and has shown excellence in performance and lower project costs.
    Only that one is a fellow french man and the other is a God fearing born and bred dominican investor. Mr leblanc has made it public that their company is not willing to accept contracts unless they have been offered under open tender.

  10. Celus
    May 25, 2010

    Dominicans are so skeptical of outsiders, no wonder it’s so hard to get much needed investment in the country.

  11. jah bless
    May 25, 2010

    they need to start building the wesley international airport!!

  12. Fairplay
    May 25, 2010

    I agree with George Bush.

    • Staying Tuned
      May 25, 2010

      Only a idiot would agree with George Bush.

      BTW, where is he now. Obama is the man

  13. You don no
    May 25, 2010

    Thank you guys for seeing to it that the required development is being done. Keep the project rolling and keep the unemployed…employed.

  14. May 25, 2010

    Sounds good…This road really needs to be developed in terms of widening and installing retaining walls etc..DA is getting there slowly but surely, by the time i visit DA again seems like i will be seeing alot of changes..

  15. Cassandra
    May 25, 2010

    Mr. Gadarkhan is not a foreigner. He enjoys the same status as our P.M. in that he is both a citizen of France and, by his own admission, of the Commonwealth of Dominica.

  16. texas
    May 25, 2010

    Often times the price paid for the the development of a capital project in a foreign country is often a combination of incentives that benefit bothn countries, however the end product in this case will be an accomodation of fine roads that we as Dominicans will enjoy long term.
    This is only an opinion and not a fact.

  17. born and breed
    May 25, 2010

    Lot 1. is expected to be completed within weeks. what is within weeks. that could some up to months even years especially when attepmting to mislead. however i have seen the project few months ago. i i bo believe that if a deadline of ‘within weeks’ is to be meet. then we shall have Lot 1. completed. let’s see.

  18. George Bush
    May 25, 2010

    We have other Engineers in Dominica that can construct this road. Why is it that he is getting so may projects? He getting his own plant to make asphalt when he can buy it from public works corp. He has an office in Financial centre that he is not paying rent for, yet still others have been denied the use of this office space. Paying tenants at that. Why does a foreigner have his hand and foot in Dominica? What is the “under the table” profit to this present administration?

    • zenfanh mochoroh
      May 25, 2010

      George Bush many contractors bring with them their plant and machinery when they undertake such projects. Nello. L . Teer and Sintra had their own asphalt plants when roads were being renovated in the 1980’s NELLO L. TEER had theirs in jimmit in the area of the old cardboard factory. Do some research

      • french divide and rule
        May 26, 2010

        Correction. In those days public works did not have the barbargreen capability nor the colas plant.

      • wil
        May 27, 2010

        George Bush bush engineers can design the roads but not necessarily construct it. I do not know the scope of work on this project but I expect it is going to require A LOT of heavy equipment. And I would rather give that up to an experience contractor with the necessary equipment. Maybe they could stipulate that a certain percentage of the work should be subcontracted to Dominican engineers and contractors. Who is paying for this project? Is some of it through grant? If Dominicans contractors and engineers can do the job more power to them. But tell me, why we like to get ‘free’ money from other countries, and don’t want to give some back to other countries? Just something to ponder on.

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