Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit announced the groundbreaking date for the highly anticipated International Airport during a contract signing ceremony for the River Defence Wall at Colihaut on Friday.
“We are in the process of constructing an international airport,” he stated. “I would like to invite everyone to the official groundbreaking ceremony on November 9, 2024,” he announced. “I have chosen to postpone the groundbreaking, as it is customary for the groundbreaking to occur before the commencement of work.”
He stated that throughout Dominica’s history, both before and after independence, every government has prioritised the establishment of an international airport as a focal point of its development strategy.
“I mentioned that individuals may experience hesitation, so it is advisable to begin without making drastic changes,” Mr. Skerrit clarified. “Let us clarify the situation so you can see the runway,” he stated. “We observe the alignment of the runway and extend an invitation to all Dominicans.”
Skerrit asserts that this initiative is of national significance: “Consider the implications of night landing and the extension of the runway at Douglas-Charles; envision the benefits that an international airport will bring to Dominica.”
On June 9, 2021, the Government of Dominica and MMC Development executed a contract valued at one billion dollars, marking the official start of the construction of the much-anticipated international airport.
The prime minister expressed appreciation to the residents of Wesley, Woodford Hill, and Palm Tree for their support in building the airport within their communities. He assured the citizens of Dominica, both domestically and internationally, that his government would remain steadfast in its commitment to building the international airport, undeterred by any obstacles.
