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Vol. 32, Issue 46 QUEENS/LONG ISLAND/BRONX/MANHATTAN November 12-18, 2021
MAJOR
AIRPORT
UPGRADE
CARICOM governments
undertake massive airport
improvements
By Bert Wilkinson
Governments in the Caribbean
Community from The
Bahamas in the north to Guyana
and Suriname in the south
are undertaking major airport
upgrades to cater for growing
travel pressures but of all the
current or planned projects
none will be more economically
and developmentally useful to a
country than Dominica’s plans
to build a brand new international
aerodrome.
Nestled between the French
overseas territories of Martinique
and Guadeloupe and long
regarded as one of the pearls
of Caribbean tourism, getting
to Dominica is not that easy as
the main Douglas Charles airport
in the rocky north of the
can be quite an experience as
the aerodrome can only accommodate
commuter type aircraft
or the smaller private jets. For
successive administrations, tour
operators and visitors, the limited
runaway length has been
an economic nightmare and a
source of frustration.
Now all this is about to
change. The administration of
Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit,
head of government since
2004, last week announced plans
to construct a brand new, world
class international airport capable
of accommodating most of
the larger passenger jets in use
today. Construction of the facility
will begin in phases next
year. The project could cost up
to $400 million and should be
concluded with the first passenger
jets touching down in about
four years.
Of all the larger island nations
in the Eastern Caribbean subgrouping,
Dominica and nearby
St. Vincent were the standouts
as their main airports could only
have accommodated propeller
and private jets, meaning that
visitors from North America and
Europe were forced to island hop
after landing in nearby Barbados,
Trinidad or Antigua for example.
For many this was a turn off.
But no doubt encouraged by
the construction of a brand new
airport in nearby St. Vincent,
Skerrit said authorities are racing
ahead with plans to level
parts of the mountainous north-
Vincy couple celebrate
Nicholas and Miranda Lucas cut their 35th wedding anniversary cake. See story on
Page 14 Photo by Nelson A. King
Williams, Bichotte-Hermelyn honor veterans
By Nelson A. King
New York City Public
Advocate Jumaane Williams
and Brooklyn Democratic
Party Chair, Assembly
Member Rodneyse Bichotte-
Hermelyn on Thursday paid
tribute to United States veterans
on Veterans Day.
“Today our city and
nation observe Veterans Day
and honor the people who
have answered their country’s
call to service,” said
Williams, the son of Grenadian
immigrants. “I stand
in appreciation of all veterans
who have chosen to
serve our nation in uniform,
including within my own
family and staff.
“We must be sure to convey
our respect and gratitude
not only in parades
and ceremonies, but in our
personal interactions and,
perhaps most importantly,
in our policies,” he added.
“Too many veterans, having
given so much, are disrespected
or abandoned when
they return home– met by a
government failing to fulfill
their end of the contract.
“From healthcare to
housing, we can and must
do more to support and
stand by veterans,” Williams
urged. “This is not about
support of war or violence
but of the people who have
risked their safety in the
spirit of service.”
He noted that Veterans
Day takes its origin from
Armistice Day, born out of a
celebration of peace.
“We must continue the
work toward achieving that
peace, at home and abroad,”
Williams said.
Bichotte Hermelyn, the
daughter of Haitian immi-
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