Work continues at Douglas Charles Airport

Ongoing work at the facility. Photo: GIS
Ongoing work at the facility. Photo: GIS

Dominica’s main airport, Douglas-Charles has proven to be a top priority for the Government of Dominica. The Honourable Minister for Public Works and Ports, Senator Mirium Blanchard, assured citizens that the airport, while safe, is being further rehabilitated for passenger and motorists safety.

A major project was developed at the airport in Melville Hall aimed at restoring its safe operations, implementing storm repairs while improving flood protection.

Phase one of the project estimated at $31.2m is being funded by the Citizenship by Investment Programme.

“Outstanding work related to phase one of this project include grassing of the shoulders, reconstruction of the second half of the apron and two taxi ways as well as the extension of a sea wall and reconstruction of the road and drainage east of the airport on the road leading to Londonderry,” she said.

Phase two provided for in the 2016/2017 fiscal year will further increase resilience of the airport to weather events like Erika.

“Through the construction of additional river defence structures, dredging and river training. Work continues to advance on the major works at Douglas-Charles Airport. In fact, a milestone of the project was just reached last week with the reconstruction of roughly half of the apron and taxi ways. Inspectors from the Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority were on island towards the end of last week. I am proud to announce that we have received approval from ECCAA for its use,” Minister Blanchard stated.

Meanwhile, a gift from the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, solar lights, has been installed.

The new taxiway and apron were also recently commissioned at the airport.

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25 Comments

  1. November 1, 2016

    I suppose just before general election they will again say .wait for it we nearly there. OK here it is lol.New international airport to be built. The roseevelt skerrit international airport.

  2. Me
    November 1, 2016

    The GIS information is disingenuous. FAA notams A1231/16 & 12312 16, issued on 19 Oct. are still in effect today 1 Nov. They make it clear that whilst taxiway Charlie is now operational, taxiway Bravo was closed at the same time and caution is advised.

  3. carottop
    November 1, 2016

    why would you want a international airport, when a big plane lands, who do you think is going to go back on it, they will not land, if it is going to go back empty. Wise up you people, use your common sense.

  4. dissident
    November 1, 2016

    Gardahkan work crew is back on the road to Rosalie.
    He doesn’t have the capacity to work on the airport and the road at the same time!
    There is a lot of unfinished work on the road!
    De road should have been completed already…… check the original contract document!
    At this rate this road will be complete just before the next general election!
    De airport……. who knows!
    I watching and listening!!!!!!!!
    Remember these are honest hard working underpaid workers bending their back for the contractor!
    I will always find out what I need to know!

  5. Dominican
    November 1, 2016

    Ms. Blanchard, that sounds like desperation, issuing a statement through GIS full of self praise for repair work on the operational side of Melville Hall airport that should have been completed by June at the latest. How about the crack in the runway, has that been fixed yet so it can be used to its full extent? Why use all that propaganda? Be honest for once, we are not all little children or fools.

  6. NERICA THOMAS
    November 1, 2016

    SO TRUE FOOL PARADISE MONIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE WASTED AND STILL CANNOT MOVE FORWARD ,

  7. November 1, 2016

    No international airport really.

  8. Pinez
    October 31, 2016

    I can’t wait for another flood!!!

  9. Caribbean National
    October 31, 2016

    Government and Opposition are Fools. We need new brains to govern this country.

  10. love my DA
    October 31, 2016

    What a waste of money, this money could go towards an international airport. Leaders doesnt have the country at heart,leaders minds are so low

  11. October 31, 2016

    Commen are in order

  12. October 31, 2016

    More money to go down the river :-D

  13. Concern citizen
    October 31, 2016

    Mr. SKIRRET’S Cabinet and the rest of his supporters are enjoying themselves, but all good things will certainly come to an end, I wonder where are THEY going to run too,
    Mr. Skerrit and his family are all USA citizens, so when he finish with D/ca he and his family will move to the big Apple and live all of us in the CALABASH TO EAT ONE AND OTHER LIKE crab IN A BARELL

    • Tony
      November 1, 2016

      To: Concern Citizen.

      Hello and good morning my people. No they will go to New Jersey just like Peter St Jean and his wife.

  14. Whistler
    October 31, 2016

    OMG, Dominica and their Ignorance factor often amazes the civilized world…wow

    In this day and age everyone is upgrading to Jet/International levels, yet the Educated fools and their many siblings praise work on a concrete cozy shed calling it a airport…

    that tells you how low and lack of vision a place like Dominica is flourishing into, everything is done on the flat end, while the ignorance masses beat their chest..smh

    how can u gain best deals,inputs or impacts when the World views Dominica as a ratty island…..folks have sold out period for the dust..it’s dominica they are not known to be upscale…..

    look just 28mins by air….see the level Antiguans are, re V.C Bird Inti’l

    Dominica will continue to be the poorest and slowest around as they shy away from thinking…….(BIG)..

    • dominican
      October 31, 2016

      when you get a chance find out how antigua got it new airport and who built it..these are the same chinese you empty headed people criticise because of political affiliation..you people always comparing dominica with other countries when it suits you all.airport is built with money.other countries depend on taxes to build infrastructure, and if government raise taxes its a problem or even get help from other countries,they are begging..

    • Tony
      November 1, 2016

      To: Whistler.

      Hello and good afternoon my people. Well it look like I have to defend my people and Country. First our number one export is educated people, just look at the Virgin Islands where we have many educated Dominicans who’s doing very well and you can also look at New York metropolitan area,Florida,Texas, Virginia, Maryland and California . I travel to DA twice a year since 2009 and I have alway been satisfied with the flights and services I received at the airport from arriving to departing. Dominica isn’t a transit point for flights coming from Europe or America based on our location therefore travelers coming to DA wouldn’t be enough to make an international airport financially profitable. What we need to do is to lengthen the run way ,dredge the river and build higher rataining walls because the airport is in the river bed which makes the airport prone to flooding. We should also put barriers in the sea to control the breaking waves .

      • Me
        November 1, 2016

        Congratulations! You must be the fortunate exception to prove the rule.

  15. not nice
    October 31, 2016

    Thay always do that when they know people coming to d/a they start work all over the place that way you cant say nothing going on but Dominicans that live and work out of Dominica dont care that much if they dont do much d/a is the party place for a week and then run out to work and have there life ill not say good but better life have there house car and job

  16. FACTS
    October 31, 2016

    Can someone tell me what TOP PRIORITY means. If the airport was top priority, why was a bridge that was not needed in Roseau was given priority over the airport which since after Erica, has only one taxi way. If the airport is given top priority, why is there still a huge crater on the airside of the airport. That woman needs to know what she is talking about and stop taking Dominicans for fools.

    • Information
      November 1, 2016

      How do you say that the bridge was not needed when the bridge would shake when vehicle drove on it? Why would it not be a priority when with that one bridge being under construction leave traffic backed up so intensely? For those of us who live here and drive in an out of Roseau, this bridge is critical, and taking the risk of not repairing the old bridge is something only a foolish government would do. With the number of vehicles going in and out of Roseau, replacing this bridge was critical.

      If we want to criticize the way the repairs are being done to the airport then let us do so, but there is nothing wrong in having multiple priority tasks undertaken by the government at the same time. Ask persons who were walking on that bridge when a truck was crossing, and you would understand why it was priority.

  17. Pres_Donald_Trump
    October 31, 2016

    Geez Dominica is a fools paradise, De amount of money you incompetent fellas spend on Douglas Charles airport works u all would have had an international airport bringing airbus to Dominica.

    • Tell the Truth
      October 31, 2016

      Maybe you could beg Trump to exercise some generosity and send some of his billions of dollars to Dominica to help build an international airport.. He can’t take it with him.

    • Information
      November 1, 2016

      While I am not against an international airport, and while it would serve us well in cutting out travel cost, and facilitating business and trade, can we support the traffic required to maintain one? Can we guarantee larger airlines that their seats will be filled? Are we aware that if the guaranteed number of seats are not filled that our government will have to pay for the empty seats on these airlines? We have to look at all of this too.

    • Tony
      November 1, 2016

      To: Pres Donald Trump.

      Hello and good afternoon my people. Well can you tell us how many passengers would be on that flight and can we sustain this seven days a week .

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