With air access labeled as one of the greatest challenges to the tourism industry, an international airport may be an alternative which may derive better benefits for all stakeholders.
This is the opinion of Public Relations Officer of the Combined Taxi Association Jenner Guiste who has opined that direct flights into Dominica from the larger continents could boost the economy.
“I am a person who really don’t like to make assumptions, but in my opinion if you have a direct flight coming from Toronto landing into Dominica, that to me would be better,” he said to Dominica News Online in an interview.
“Though we cannot force airlines to land in Dominica, I think if you had direct flights from the larger countries landing in your country, it’s not only going to make taxi drivers better but generally the country, the farmers and all the players. They would need that direct movement to be a little better,” he stated.
He added that a recent strike by LIAT pilots would not have affected Dominicans so severely if the international airport had been in existence.
JENNER IF I WERE U I WOULD BE SO ASHAMED TO PUT MY NAME AND FACE OUT THERE AFTER BEING SUCH A STRONG VOICE FOR THE LABOUR PARTY AND THEIR CORRUPT ADMINISTRATION… AND THEN WITH THE SAME MOUTH ASKING FOR INT’L AIRPORT WHICH UWP WAS PUSHING HARD FOR! YOU NEED TO KEEP YOUR D**N MOUTH SHUT NOW JENNER AND TAKE WHAT YOU GET,
I also remember when Rosie was running for office his so called advisor mr.bird gave him funding so that he could cut down the plans of the international airport,this inturn kept ANU as the HUB in the region…BUt i tell you if we had gotten that airport ANU would become the spokes and we’d be the HUB of that wheel primarily due to our geographic location…
“Please including in your answer all that is needed/required to get a A2 OR A1 rating from the FAA to allow US and Canadian carriers landing rights into a country??
It is over to you Mr.college man as I am from Stage 1…”(The Great Anonymous ).
Since the link is closed, this is the only way I could get to respond to you.
Do not view it as if I am attacking you, nor view it as in insult, but if what you convey does not make any sense at all, some with guts, and who know better must let you know that you are indulging in nonsense.
First of all Dominica Government does not have to get any permission from any commission, or rating organization to build an International Airport in our country.
We are a sovereign nation, and we have the power to determine what infrastructure we develop in our country.
I see you have become an authority on International Airport based on the quote above.
I am here to tell you all of that above is nothing more than a pile of rubbish, you build an International Airport it will be placed on certain carrier route, the more people traveling destine for Dominica, is the more flights we can anticipate coming to the country.
That’s not how it works, the FAA, or all who you mentioned does not tell Airlines where they should fly, and where not to travel to. I do not know where you get you information from, but I am sure you did not research that crap!
Of course they have to be granted that route as long as the exist for travel to that destination.
I do not have to go into too much details, except how are you going to get a rating from the FAA, when you do not have an International Airport operating in Dominica.
In any event, where it pertains to airport rating, that is based on how well it is equip, and as fare as safety is concerned.
Risk on landing, and take off, how can you FAA determine that when we do not have an International Airport in our country.
Build it Mr./Miss./Mrs, no name and they will come.
When Paul Southwell Dominica born from the village of Castle Bruce, former Premier of St. Kitts decided to build an International in St. Kitts, everybody thought he was mad, even old man Bird the late prime minister of Antigua discouraged him, they said Jet Aircrafts would never land in St. Kitts.
So what happened the Late Prime Minister of Trinidad & Tobago, told the world and the rest of the Caribbean, if no other airline land in St. Kitts, BWIA, Trinidad national Airline would land and takeoff in St. Kitts.
That airline was the only one taking International flights into and out of St. Kitts for a very long time, until the day Nathalie Tyson a black move actor, born of St. Kitts parentage, landed there in a passenger Jet Aircraft, and the rest is history!
Do not put your country down, do not allow you fear to make you think backwards, it i is working, on the other islands, why will it not work in Dominica.
Be honest give me a good reason why you do not thing we deserve an International Airport, if you are scared to give me the reason on DNO you can call me via one of these numbers, 323-730-8530, 951-310-2895, or 323-533-0478, to save you the toll call, you may E-mail me via [email protected] or via [email protected]
I mean we are in the twenty-first century, why are you seeking to maintain the backward status quo in our country?
What do you have against progress and prosperity?
Let us cut the crap out and face reality, even the Chines government advised our government, this labor party government,in power, ” that the only way Dominica, and our people will begin to make some progress is when we build an International Airport.”
So the government has hid that information fro the public, nonetheless that information slipped through the news on DBS, the it came through someone called the person who read it in the news, at DBS, and ask the person ” who are they working for, the opposition or the government?
That was the first and last time we heard it in the news.
Be careful how you conduct your political conversations, because you are helping to set the country backwards, and keep it backward also!
The issue of an International Airport in our country should not be up for debate at this time, because we all know it is necessary, and in fact a necessity, perhaps it is time you take the subject seriously, and stop thinking like an oldtime coward no ambition politician!
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
Well no name politician;I did not edit that last one so now I find myself in stage 1 with you because of the many mistakes it oui!
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah!
The day I die you will be very happy camper, and that’s if you are not one of my cousins; because I sure give you hell.
I like you anyway, because you take your punches, and yet remain as cool as a cucumber.
You are real politician, but you need to shift to some more productive thoughts, and abandon the slave mentality man; it serves you no purpose at all, and while I am at it.
I wish to say to the person who suggest that people should ask Edison James about the International Airport he let us lose or getaway from us, or something to this effect.
Someone need to remind that fool, that Edison James and the UWP were the Government in power, who started construction on the International Airport, and the late Rosie Douglas, Athie Martin, and also the late Pierre Charles, and people the crook named George, in addition to some in the present government who closed it down when they took power and formed the coalition.
How quick we forget!
The Labor Party is responsible for us not having an International Airport, and not Edison James.
Let us go to another subject, this one is already dead!
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
Regional jet options have been ingnored years in Dominica, 50-100 seater jet options like the Embraer 145\Embraer 170\Embraer 190 or the CRJ200\700\900 could fly Non Stop to Miami bypassing LIAT and the Caribbean.
I would take a Regional Jet flight Non Stop to Miami anyday from Melville Hall Airport until our Government can get its act together and build us an “International Airport” Dominicans far too long have suffered from LIAT and we are naive to think that if we invest in LIAT its gonna improve.
I give this government and party a grade F on the this issue.
How many more studies do we need, the answer is zero. Each political party has done numerous studies. What we need is a government who will actually start excavation, move dirt and build the runway, terminal, taxiways. I am so tired hearing of lack of air access. will we learn
Everything for Dominica is ALL TALK!… do what you have to do to make these dreams a reality!! .. .”i think this would be a good idea”…WELL QUIT THINKING AND MAKE IT HAPPEN ..and if you cant do anything to get it done… then quit running your mouth .
why do so many mention if the airport will be profitable i have one question for these people the Portsmouth to Roseau road how much profit will we make from it or a new hospital but while these infrastructure do not make a direct profit they are necessary for the growth and development of Dominica it has been said that the Euro tunnel may never derive a profit but the economical benefits it brings to the countries it serve cannot be underestimated and the brits and french have no regrets of building it
My next door neighbour runs his passenger bus to Roseau and always filled up with passengers. My other neighbour decided to give it a try too but he’s never as successful as my other next door neighbour.
Why? because he did not use his brain cells.
Ask Edison James where the interantional airport is the one he make us lose.
Dear Mr.Telemaque,
Please a cut from a news about how a city in USA is paying a carrier USA to flying to a destination.
Delta applied Tuesday for government approval of new routes to Beijing — including a nonstop from Detroit — and Guangzhou in China.
“International business travel is the underpinning of the global economic recovery,” said Glen Hauenstein, Delta’s executive vice president.
The Allegheny Conference — a chamber of commerce group like the Greater Cleveland Partnership — wooed the Paris service in 2009 with a pledge that it would pay Delta $5 million in the flight’s first year if didn’t meet certain revenue numbers, and $4 million in the second year if it fell short of the goals. The Allegheny Conference put up half the money, with the rest coming from a state grant.
The coalition had to pay the initial $5 million when the flight missed revenue targets in its first year. The transcontinental flights were on average one-third empty. The second year has been “substantially better,” Zapinski said, without providing details.
By the way you can read the full story at :-
http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2010/11/pittsburgh_airport_retains_par.html
I hope that help before you call people stupid.
jenner glad you coming out of the labour closet… more to come. how can a country and it’s people beenefit from tourism without international air access. phillip nassief would say FYH = liat and norris prevost would say marriott = usairways. skerro will say avianca and collin piper would say oh yes avianca… let chavez subsidise the flights and venezuelans will come
as for that collin piper too caught up in the be quiet for bread mood to even speak out and say “yes we need the international airport”
Dominica needs alot of things. We need a new
and modern hospital before we get an International airport. The roads need to be
in better condition. Wonder what the other
Administrations was doing why we remained
underdeveloped. Now that we getting a few things done all of a sudden we want everything under this Administration.I am
Dominican and i am just being honest
think you need to get up and then think. you are sitting and hence, your thinking is impaired.
sorry accidental thumbs down
stick to the issue… is international airport we talking about… chicken beofre the egg
If you are a poor person the worst thing that could happen in my view would be to visit a rich man’s home. The reason is simply that the moment you see what he has caring less how he got it all you know from then on is you have to get it. I am not saying that we shouldn’t look at others and want to get it also but not through getting it at any costing even if it includes pulling the devil’s tale. My point here is this that we Dominicans leave here and once we step out the island we see things no real idea how they came or how they are being managed all we know it need to happen in Dominica. Now the best joke is when the gov do implement it a next talk comes out. We all know how hard it is to please humans but yet still we don’t give a damn even if they die for our sake, while we on the other hand would have some sort of excuse if it was us in their shoe. I do believe if and interbnational airport was easy it would have happened long ago. Let’s be reasonable don’t you think that all governments in the past and present would really want to be the first to make this a reality especially for political reasons? Common! It is clear that taking political sides have blinded us, so my dear people change this government and get your airport i just hope it will be the end of talk after it has happened.
Your analysis is spot on. However, Dominica’s position relative to its neighbors also needs rethinking. We cannot and will never be able to truly compete and maximize our toruism product, without improved air-access.
All you all arguments are valied, in a sew saw debate,but until a serious group of people stept in to save Dominica, you guts will be still having this debate 15 years later.
This country been badly manage, from independence to this day. This country needs help and is not from people who want to help themselves. All we doing there is releasing emotions, and that all there is to this, but if you feel better after you comment then by all means keep the comments coming.
At least Jenner you are speaking the truth. We do need an international airport. The longer we wait the more expensive it becomes. It is time we stop comparing our country with that of the other OECS countries. We are last cacka rwat in the Caribbean so we ought to do something to upgrade our status. Dominica has more to offer than many of the other countries but we are contented with a State house which costs millions and will not bring back anything in return to our country. And ofcourse the Government will still have to spend money to maintain the state house. In my humble opinion even if the airport would cost more at least it creates more sustained employment and it generates an income.While this government is wasting money on useless state house you supportrs are making excuses.
Jenner you are a true DOMINICAN. And my definition of a true Dominican is one who stands up and speaks his mind even if the masses do not like to hear what he has to say as long as it is the truth.
What we need in Dominicva right now is more concious LABOURITES like Jenner who admit that the way forward is the international airport. Hats off to you sir,continue to speak the truth and you shall be set free.
errata CONSCIOUS
Jenner is the front runner for the LABOUR PARTY if a BI ELECTION is held in the Laplaine Constituency. The media ismarketing him for things to come…..
It sometimes piss me off,when some dominicans say that dominica don’t need an international airport.yes we does ,and until then well continue depopulate.
Guiste boy, nobody in Dominica will here you, ” we doh want it because we are de nature island of the world”, so claimed Ian Douglas, the great tourism minister of the nature Island.
Haven’t you heard that an International Airport is a bad thing for Dominica, since Antigua, and Barbados, have one already?
Haven’t you heard how the St. Vincent prime minister told us that our country does not need an International Airport, all we needed to do is refurbish Melville Hall municipal airport, get night landing and that is good enough for our people.
So what have we done, we wasted more than two hundred million dollars or there about installing lights, on our runway, splashed some asphalt around and declared mission accomplished.
Meanwhile however, at the same time Gonzales gave us the advise to set our country backward a thousand years, he was negotiating to get finance to construct an International Airport in his country St. Vincent, which will be in operation in a few months.
We, or people are our worst enemy; we prefer to admire the rest of the Caribbean, their progress, and the things they have, however, in Dominica, political slogans, and politics takes precedence over everything else, Red, Blue and Green matters more to our people, than the essentials that can help improve the life, and economical status of these same political clowns!
Do not waste your time man, Dominica will not hear you, unless you have a handout to give.
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
Not Jenner that is the potto Labourite nuh??!!
A-A!!
The same political football topic for how many years now?
Maybe since independence?
Every political party has promised it to the people, knowing full well that it’s a vote-catching gimmick. and because our people are so gullible, they fall for it every single time.
We’re looking for a symbol of national pride.
But if we think an international airport is a simple little thing that we can be proud of, we should think again and talk to some of those countries that are catching hell from having their own. BIG TIME LOSS OF MONEY IS WHAT IT IS. People, start thinking and analysing, and do your own homework. Screw politicians.
Sir if you serious send me a proposal please. We shall have a look see what can be done.
How many administrations get to make 120 million dollar blunder and still get to bit their chest. Then the very same administration get to blow away 27and million dollars. Only in Dominica. I heard about the airport expansion and when I got to Dominica I was so disappointed I immediately decided to drop my support for the skerrit administration. We found no reason to build an internationally accepted airport but found reasons to build a 27game million state house supposedly to attract tourist.this is one for comedy central.
I don’t get it with people who just not seeing the big picture, an international airport it’s not only for the citizen of the country , it’s for visitors, and they will be the back bone for the international airport, and it will create employment for the young people. That one of the reason SVG is building a grand international airport, my source told me there, air Canada, British airways, virgin and a few more he can’t disclose because of the other airline policy’s, so we should take a leaf from their book…
See one of them idiots. Vote out a party that was on course to building an International Airport….then complaining that the other party not building it.
Jenner ears were blocked man during the election? Something was happening? Stuupppse….Garcon take your blows and keep quiet tan!
Build the International Airport and people will come!!
It is because we do not have a long airstrip tourists are not visiting.
Come on my people “THINK BIG.”
Grenada has an international airport how many flight a day do they have?
What is the total occupancy rate of the hotel in Grenada?
Does the income from the airport help to establish a marketing of Grenada tourist product?
Does the government have to subsidize the operational cost of the airport?
People does not just come because you have airport. You,have to make sure you have a product that is well package.
The point I am make here is this has to be well planned out.
I wonder how many people writes under the fictitious ” Anonymous?”
If you are the one and only, you are confirming that you are a very foolish person; you are backward, and does not make any sense at all with the comments you make.
To me you are someone who did not even graduate kindergarten, and people like you expressing such stupid sentiments, we can see why there are so many obstacles in the way of development in Dominica.
Who pays you to get on DNO everyday and write such foolishness, have you no ambition, why don’t think a bit before to start spewing all of the many stupid comments you continue to write?
Self-education can be a good thing, if we are capable of learning, you need to develop your understanding capacity, learn to think cognitively, that will help, until then perhaps you should give it a rest because your intellect falls beneath the standards of someone who graduated in kindergarten.
And when I say kindergarten, I mean what we called a very long time ago ” stage 1″, the very first class you attended on your first day in class.
Do not ask me who pays me, for:
I pay myself; I work for me, myself so if I wish to blog all day and night I can do so, I suspect you are wasting your time!
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
what u know about grenada monkey… i am grenadian and can tell you dominica needs an international airport or it will remain last kakarat in tourism… just like how colin rattus piper have tourism last kakarat. zort a dominique bien sort.
Then there is the question about the DA fire service.. This Department will need all the modern fire appliance and equipments.
The port authority will require all the new xray machine,which cost like $1us million a pice.
The tower will need all the modern radars and appliances also..
I can go on and on…..
These are just the facts….
This is why we vote so that elected officials can break down barriers and get us to where need to go. Obviously you are stating that we cannot get over these obstacles with this lame bunch of elected thieves and vagabonds
That just does not help. It was NOT what he was saying.
He is pointing out how there are many factors to an international airport.
It does not mean he opposes it … just that he can see how it is not as easy to achieve with what we have both financially and number of rooms and standards of hotels here.
Of course we all should work towards a I A, but cautiously so that we don’t make the island go broke doing so.
People there was an airline travelling 7 day a week from JFK (New York) to POS (Trinidad) with a full boat each evening.
The carrier stop the flight because it did not get the cargo load it was looking forward to.
Even if the aircraft was going to Trinidad each night full of passengers at 80% to 100% load.
Go figure how hard it is to get carriers to come to these Islands.
THese are the facts..
LIAT is making a lot from cargo though. I have no idea how much there is to go around and if more than one can offer the same or they end up just sharing the same pot … meaning one will go bust.
Airport development is a very expensive project. As we speak Antigua,St.Lucia and St.Vincent are having great problems getting the people to understand the huge sum of money need.
The easy thing to do is to build a hospital or an airport,but the hardest part is maintenance of these institutions.
It is easy for anyone to say that we can get flight direct from USA or Canada. Does anyone on this board knows what goes on in planning flight to a country?
First of all the carrier must make sure it has the right aircraft available,the turn around time on the aircraft,what amount of cargo that can be generated in and out of the destination, these are just a few things that the carriers take into consideration on planning.
The next question is will DA have the ability to have a 80% passenger load on each flight,if not will the government of DA have money to pay for the empty seats?
Please be advised Antigua,Barbados,St.Lucia and Grenada are subsidizing AA and Delta airlines to fly into the four (4) Islands.
As a matter of matter the City of Pittburgh is also subsidizing Delta to fly from Paris at a 70% passenger load. What that means if the passenger count is less than 70% of the available seats on the aircraft the city has to pay for all the empty seats.
So guys please do your home work before writing all your “politiking” big mouths on the board.
We need to be constructive when making criticism,we must be arm with the facts and not just talking from any angle without careful examination.
Thank you.
We have the facts. You don’t build it they won’t come. Fact -or St Kurt’s built it and they are coming. We built a stadium hoping that cricket would come,soccer. Fact- if we build it our farmers will have a better chance to access the existing markets.
The same way government paid list to chance a night flight into Dominica we can do the same for delta especially during festival or international cricket.
The next level was suppose to involve thinking out of the confined space and also putting country before self
sir/ma’am:
St. Vincent is in the process of building their airport, Antigua and St. Lucia just completed million dollars upgradee on their, please stand so that you could make more use of your brains!!!
Int.airport…4people coming direct from Canada 8peolpe coming from the Uk,etc. PLEASE who is going to pay for the emty sets……… We have a long way to go.
flights will be cheaper and a lot more Dominicans that i know will be travelling more often to Dominica because right now they don’t like flying on those dinky planes from Antigua etc. not to mention the ones that I don’t know who don’t travel for the same reason I mentioned above.
leave haiti out of your stupid talk.it’s the international community that turn their back on haiti after independence january 1st 1804.the thing is i still agree with you that all past and present governments make it a priority when they campaigning for election.i wish one of them ministers would get stranded for a month if small planes cannot land in dominica because they on strike
Hi, Mr Guiste I think this is a good idea but the Government should conduct a visibility study to determine where to locate such an Airport. Second they should determine how many people visit Dominica through Melville Hall and Canefield Ariports in that way we will have a number to work with. We can also consider expanding the runway at Melville Hall in land and into the water. We should also allow Caribbean Airlines to provide services into Dominica. I also think that if the Government decide to build an Airport they should consider a location between Portsmouth and Roseau on the West Coast. Finally if they decided to build they should allow China to provide the financing and to build the Airport. Thanks DNO your greetings are beautiful and Merry Christmas to all Dominicans where ever you are.
Feasibility Study? You know how many studies they have done over the past 40 years? They surveyed the Salisbury area, Point Round, Londonderry to name a few.
The figures on passenger traffic is avaiblable at their finger tips. The question is where the money to build and maintain will come from.
LOL. Yeah we have had a lot of those. No more please … we don’t know where to put them all.
“feasibility study”
One particular UWP member will write to China and tell them stop interfering in Dominica politics by providing Dominica with an interantional airport.
From now on when we post our Dominica address we need to put the acronym H.E.C instead of W.I. H.E.C meaning Haiti of the Eastern Caribbean. Next level letter posting. Go labor
Jenner what dominica needs is a state of the art hospital! People just like to sound important. What about when one of those boeings crash with close to 200 persons on board or some other disaster where will they be treated? I’m not saying that an aircraft will crash or not but can we be prepared for the incidentals and also take care of our local Dominicans in PMH? Dominica isn’t ready for an international airport. How many flights per day arrive and live this island? How can we accommodate the mass of tourist flying into the country? What about personnel are we ready to pay them what they deserve? Are there any good managers for this international airport? what about the food/restaurant servicing? Security? Much more important insurance for such a building? yep even airports have to have insurance especially if all you want US and British aircrafts to land there. A set of talk, talk talk!! Build a friiggin hospital instead.
the hospital is already catered for . we should see actual commencement in the new year.
Question is how are we going to pay for the up keep of this airport???
What cargo are these airlines going to bring into DA to pay for the flight profitability?
Does the government of DA have money to pay airlines for guaranteed flights (that is say if a flight has less than 70% seat use the DA government will pay for the empty seats)?
It is one thing to talk about bring airlines into DA but it is another when comes to working out the details of shedule flights.
If anyone think I am talk out of the box,then you can ask Barbados,St.Lucia,Grenada and Antigua about that.
Barbados is paying AA to come to Bgi.. St.Lucia is paying Delta and AA to come to UVF…. Grenada is paying Delta to come GND… Antigua is paying AA and Delta to com e to ANU…..
These airlines are been subsidize by these government.
Go figure this out…. It is easy to build and airport but the cost of maintenance is what kills you.
Stupid question, from a stupid person, no wonder you have no name!
You are a phantom in the night, whom the wind tosses about like a rag doll, or a bit of desert straw, no rest or command, you are unanchored going wherever the wind tosses’s you!
You sentiments in this one is repetitive from the same old rhetoric form all the past years, which came from none ambitious politicians, and citizens who had no vision, and handed down their backwardness to people such as you, your kind are hopeless, waste of time.
Semiliterate people like you are an danger to society!
Why?
Because you go around talking so much crap, making all sorts of unfounded statements, and the people in the majority who are less capable than your kind, listen, and follow to your nonsense, thus causing the country to remain stagnant, and backward.
Before you ask such a stupid question, since you are playing smart, if you had any intelligence, or simple commonsense, you would first ask yourself how are all the islands, from Guyana in the South, on the South American mainland, to Jamaica in the North, maintain, and up-keep their International Airport.
If you were smart you would have done some research and find out!
Ask Gonzales of St. Vincent, who made a fool out of people like you how are the people of St. Vincent going to up-keep and maintain their International Airport.
You need to get real, and free yourself from this stupid slave mentality which has overwhelmed your fragile mind!
It is people like you who hampers development in the country, people are toxic, and those who are in the toxic category are the worst enemy’s of our country.
The sentiments of a toxic person serves one purse and that is contaminating the mind of the rest of the population!
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
Constructive criticism is not about attacking the writer personally.
My statements above are base on simple research that i have conducted.
Attacking me will not change the facts. What you must do now is to counter my statements with an alternative base on facts.
I repeat the question one more time so you can answer without your personal attacks.
How are we going to pay for the up keep of the International airport?
Please including in your answer all that is needed/required to get a A2 OR A1 rating from the FAA to allow US and Canadian carriers landing rights into a country??
It is over to you Mr.college man as I am from Stage 1…
Please Mr Telemaque. You are cheapening your arguments with these insults.
Please be constructive. ‘Anonymous’ is saying things many people will not like to hear, but we need to take these things on board and come up with a usable plan.
American Airlines on April 14 began its daily service between Miami and the Eastern Caribbean islands of St. Lucia, Grenada and Antigua & Barbuda, supported by subsidies from the islands. Last November, American said it would discontinue services to these destinations out of the Puerto Rico hub, which it said was no longer operating profitably: . The airline said it would instead divert its widebodied planes on the more viable North American route, and offered the Eastern Caribbean islands a direct service out of Miami, which they would have to subsidize. St. Lucia, Grenada and Antigua & Barbuda were each required to make a US$1.5 million contribution which would cover any revenue lost by the airline on the Miami route; . St. Lucia Tourism Minister Philip Pierre has said the benefits will outweigh the cost. He said that the new service will expose the islands to several U.S. cities which the San Juan hub would not have provided, given the fact that operations into Puerto Rico hub were being downgraded; . Criticism of the payment to American came from several quarters, with former St. Lucia Prime Minister Sir John Compton questioning the legality of the airline request under the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the World Trade Organization (WTO) rules, for what he said was in effect an annual subsidy by the airline. But Prime Minister Dr. Kenny Anthony said that St. Lucia had no choice but to meet the cost, as it stood to lose 74 seats from the U.S. per day, a first class passenger service, and a major sponsor for its jazz festival; . Grenada Tourism Minister Joslyn Whiteman has also defended his Government’s decision to pay American Airlines US$1.5 million as part of a deal not to withdraw its services from the island. He said the local private sector is helping government with one third of the payment. Whiteman said Grenada’s farmers will also benefit from the new route, “because their stuff leaves here Wednesday morning and can be in New York Wednesday night because they would not have to overnight as they were doing in San Juan.” Tourism officials say the new American route offers about 100% more same day connections to Grenada than the previous San Juan hub.
http://www.thefreelibrary.com/AMERICAN'S+SUBSIDIZED+MIAMI+SERVICE+LAUNCHED.-a050054868
I hope you can read this Mr.Telemaque…
thank you..these are the facts…..
Here is more stuff to read Mr.Telemaque..
http://www.eturbonews.com/26276/grenada-s-tourism-minister-discusses-airline-subsidy-and-shareho
So….. it is easier to buy a vehicle than to maintain it. …..it is easier to build a house than to maintain it. …it is easier to get a partner than to maintain it….
It is easier to maintain an international airport than to build one.
i am a st lucian & i hope i can add my two-piece to this blog. i think Dom needs an INTL Airport LIAT has its ups and downs and looking at the competition looming ahead from carriers such as CAL,REDJET,AIR-CANADA.. liat might have no choice but to piggy back on certain routes and less flights. st vincent, antigua, hopefully st lucia if good sense prevail there, that already this new labour gov wants to downsize the need for us having a sizable airport using excuses as post hurricane tomas rebuild efforts for prioritizing as if the money is coming from our coffers in SLU
WE JUST HAVE A BUNCH OF SMALL MINDED Prime ministers all over the region.LOOK AT ST MAARTEN THE ONLY EXCEPTION THEY THINK BIG . i think both SLU & DOM. needs one airport not 2 each as we have and focus on going truly intl,modern it all goes well for creative links among the island chains and antigua wouldnt have to play a role in DOM future tourism goals with LIAT. i dont think DOM PM. should become a share holder in LIAT-timing is bad in my view . i am sure when stvincent have their new intl terminal, they might even withdraw their investment in liat esp in these times, by 2014 much of the region will have GOOD intl AIRPORTS so Dominicans pls try to do the same
Easier said than done, my friend.
Well, Dominica waited too long to make a move. These days if you do not have an int’l airport then your enonony will stagnate because it’s difficult to diversify and compete without accessability. The countries who made the sacrifice in the 1960s- 1980s are now reaping the benefits of their sacrifice. Think of your int’l airport as getting a college degree. It’s tough to acquire and you’re not gauranteed job upon completion but you are well placed to take advantage of opportunities when they are presented to you. Just my two cent!!!
Bro please understand that airport in St.Marteen was built by France and the Dutch main land government.
Please get your facts in order before writing.
Facts check blogger.
If Dominica had oil the economy would also be more robust.
If I had a million dollars, I would feel better today.
If, if if………
What Jenner crying for nuh? Is people like he self that help to put Labour on Dominica back.
exactly!!!! so take it jenner!!
Jenner, you are not afraid of Petter Pepper? I am happy that you are thinking Dominica…
the govt knows that without an international airport our so called tourism product is of no significance…
BUT IF funding is made available and the cover of the cookie jar is opened then we will see how they will jump at the opportunity to build it while dipping their hands in the cookie jar with inflated bids and corrupt deeds!
Dominicans generally just azz. How you expect to improve tourism and such when you are the only country in the Caribbean (apparently the world, too) without an international airport? All of the governments then and now are all jackals, and it seem this island has been a laughing stock forever by our neighboring sisters that seems too have economies twice our own. Dominicans admit it, i already have; we are, in all reasonableness, the Haiti of the eastern Caribbean.
true bro or sis !! real true
At the same time all international airport in the other Islands are suffering. Do some research and you will get the facts International Airports are good do not get me wrong, But is is very expensive. When flight do not have enough people Government pays for the empty sits.
Your statment doesn’t make any sense. Dominica is an independent island compared to many of the other islands. We are to generate funding on our own and don’t have people who will do so. To improve the tourism industry we don’t need an international airport. What we need is tourism managers who travel and network with strong marketing partners in the major areas that we are seeking tourist from. The government need to select a particular area of tourism that they will market for dominica. If they say they’re looking for people who like outdoors then that who they should market for which is most likely the best area in my opinion. Dominica have black sand beaches so it really can’t compare to barbados etc for tourists who like to lounge around. They also need to develop proper hotel accommodations more rooms and better CUSTOMER SERVICE! Fix up roseau make sure everybody building meets a certain standard so when them tourists reach they don’t think DA is run down. All them people that living on the side of the road in newtown, mahaut and dem places there need to be given a plot of land else where to make a house and then the government should open the roads. I even well scared in them mini buses and passing in communities that literally on the main road. ALl those things are unsightly for tourists and they won’t recommend to most of thier people. You all can put a big airport there but the same thing will happen like many businesses in Dominica people will stop coming because nobody thought about improving all the little things that keeps the tourist interested!
It is extremely exasperating and expensive to get here when there is no international airport. Isn’t that a major drawback already with regard to affordability, which in turn discourages people from vacationing here? you can have a paradise set up, but if there is inadequate access to that place (such at least is my opinion) expect an equally inadequate influx, such as we are experiencing right now; that cause-and-effect is so patent. (‘you have to spend money to make money’ should shrike a note.) Go on Wikipedia and look at all the Caribbean islands ‘GDP and per capital income’, with the sole exception of Haiti, and, as is immediately indicated, it is noticeable that Dominica has the most pathetic one, esp in the windward islands. The only thing Dominica can brag about and is hanging tentatively on is ‘Ross university’ and the great improvements it is creating there is all sectors of the economy. you cant expect to put tourism on the front burner as the chief driving force of your economy and your air access in the worse the Caribbean got. come on, put on your thinking cap. there shouldn’t even be a debate on that uncontroversial subject. we need to make a greater investment in the area in discussion if we are to be successful in the very least, but as of now the state of affair, it is to me, putting it mildly, very grim.
Spend money to make money that usually how black men stay poor! Spend without a plan or direction. Typical black man’s way off thinking, thats why when or if I marry one I keeep my money seperate!
well save all our money and never invest it you simpleton. and a plan goes without saying: it is needless to say, of course you going to build with a plan; did your house build without one? shaking my head to this, i pity your folly.
Well Anonymous, St Thomas do not have an International Airport rather they extend the runway into the water after a plane crashed in 1978. Please do not compare us with Haiti because I do not know any Dominican who moved to Haiti. Futhermore I was recentely in Dominica and I was very surprised to see so many Haitians in Dominica. We all agree that we must open the country economic base which would benifit our citizens.
consider the geography of the two islands you mentioned and make another comment as a corrective