Check out our brand new guestbook, photo album and resource articles!
Check out our brand new guestbook, photo album and resource articles! 
|
Dominica News Online Forum - no registration required
|
|
| Search For Similar Forums · Return to Website | ||
 First |
 Prev |
 Reply |
 Forum |
Next  |
Last  |
| Viewing Page 1 of 1 (Total Posts: 5) |
| Author | Comment |
|
Rupture
Dec 8, 07 - 12:00 PM |
No intl airport for Dominica
What do you think about this? Dominicans who long to see an international airport in the country could have to wait a long while before that dream becomes a reality. The government says an international airport for Dominica at this time is too expensive. But the opposition United Workers Party (UWP) has a different view on things. Opposition leader Earl Williams says government should go a head with the investment despite the costs. “The then, the now and the thy kingdom come solution to Dominica’s air access problem is an international airport,” Williams told parliament during debate on the 2007-2008 national budget. Tourism Minister Ian Douglas told a programme on state radio that Dominica could not afford a jet airport at this time. “We would need between US$130-$150 million to build that airport the government doesn’t have that money.” Douglas told state owned DBS Radio. The government wouldn’t want to burden citizens with more taxes so it is unlikely that they will seek a loan, Douglas revealed. “I don’t think we can attract a loan to allow tax payers to be burdened with that can of debt in the future,” the new tourism minister said. The government favors instead night landing and Douglas says the works currently on going at the current airport is more suitable for the country. “The improvements that are going on at Melville Hall Airport right now are appropriate and I think that’s the way we need to go,” he said. And Douglas who also has the portfolio for Civil Aviation says he is not ruling out the possibility of an international airport for Dominica. In that regards the minister is soliciting the support of friendly governments to help this dream become a reality. “We are not saying that we do not want an international airport but we must allow friendly governments out there to help us to build it,” Douglas said. |
|
Pat
Dec 8th, 2007 - 12:02 PM |
Re: No intl airport for Dominica
We do not need anymore debt at this time; we already unable to service our relatively low debt. |
|
Lady D from LaPlaine
Dec 10th, 2007 - 10:10 AM |
Re: No intl airport for Dominica
I am from Dominica but do not live there but the prople who there they should be the one to make the decision because they are the ones who live there. |
Brenton Hilaire
Feb 21st, 2008 - 9:13 AM |
Re: No intl airport for Dominica
An international airport can have a large impact on a country's economy. That is, if the country has other facilities to compliment the airport. At present, Dominica does not have enough of these facilities to compliment. Building an international airport now would be a waste of money for Dominica. Dominica lacks the accommodation required of having such a large number of visitors entering the country. I mean, after the airport is built, where will all these people stay? At present the premier hotel of Dominica operates at only 73 rooms. This says allot about the rest of the hotels in Dominica. Accommodation is too inadequate to support the increase in visitors that an international airport would bring. Secondly, there is a shortage in the available food facilities in Dominica. Space is a very limiting factor for these facilities. If just the Dominican population can fill up these facilities and have you feeling clustered, what will happen with the increased amount of visitors from the airport? And last of all, I do not believe that our present infrastructure can cater for the increased amount of people on the roads. There is a serious problem of traffic congestion at present in Dominica. If we can't fix this problem just for locals, can you imagine how difficult it would be for solving it with additional visitors using the road? I believe that people should be realistic about building an international airport. They only think about the present and not the future. Dominicans need to evolve past this simple way of thinking and plan for the future. Before an international airport can be built, consideration must be given to the factors that will arise as a result of the airport. At present, implementing the night landing at the Melville Hall airport would be the ideal step for Dominica. Our facilities will be able to match the increase in visitors from this upgrade to the airport. |
|
Brenton Henry
Feb 21st, 2008 - 2:10 PM |
Re: No intl airport for Dominica
Brenton i am rather surprised by your comment.I always thought that similarities in our names would be extended to similarities in mind set. But apparently great minds think for themselves. To summarize, Brenton I think you comments are Pre globalization and “preschool”. The question of an international airport for Dominica is not a luxury but an urgent need. Where as our Caribbean neighbors have taken a pro active approach to their nations development sadly we are lagging behind by not putting in place the necessary infrastructure for our people. St. Vincent, the only other OECS state without an international air port is aggressively pursuing its development. An international air port does not have to send us into further debt. We can do like St. Vincent that haved called on friendly governments to assist them in building the facility. Visitors coming to Dominica from Europe and other third world countries still have great difficulties in accessing the island. To put it simply traveling to Dominica can be a nightmare for some. Since the question of an international air port has become so political it is no surprise that some people use the lame excuse that we cannot afford it. Could we afford an international cricket stadium? Don’t we have one? Can we afford a brand new grammar school? Don’t we have one? So what is stopping us from building an international air port with the help of others? Brenton you are right. The international airport development cannot be viewed in isolation. The necessary infrastructure to support that facility such as roads and hotel occupancy must be put in place. But we need one. Badly! |
| First |
Prev |
Reply |
Forum |
Next |
Last |
bravenet.com