Earthworks begin on Argyle Int’l Airport runway

Just about a month after a symbolic blasting in the hills signaled the groundbreaking of the Argyle International Airport, this country’s Prime Minister operated a bulldozer to commence earthworks for the first kilometer of the runway.{{more}}

“There are some people who sleep to dream and there are some of us who dream to change the world for the better,” said Dr Gonsalves as the work on the runway of the US$200 million, multi-nation-coalition-funded international airport began on Wednesday morning in the area of the road to the Rawacou River.

An elated Dr Gonsalves, who has come under much scrutiny by the opposition over the estimates and funding for the airport announced that the runway design has been approved by the Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority.

He also said that a trust fund will be established so that persons who wish to contribute to the airport project could do so.

He said that consideration is also being given to issuing bonds to persons who wish to contribute to what is the biggest, and must significant capital project in the history of St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Iran is the latest nation to indicate their willingness to support the airport project, joining the ‘coalition of the willing’ that already includes Cuba, Taiwan, Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Mexico and Austria.

Dr Gonsalves said that he wants a couple other countries to come on board.

Despite the rumblings from the opposition, the Prime Minister has been adamant that the Airport will be constructed by 2011 and will not cost the EC$1 billion and more that opposition leader Arnhim Eustace has suggested.

Moreover, he contends that the building of the airport will signal the political demise of the New Democratic Party in the scheduled 2010/ 2011 general elections. He said that by the time the election bell is rung, the airport will be almost completed and the electorate will vote his administration back into power to finish the job and fulfill the dream.(KJ)