Eustace willing to change position on Argyle Airport

Opposition Leader Arnhim Eustace has hinted that if St.Vincent and the Grenadines is able to attract grants for the entire construction of the proposed Argyle International Airport, he might be persuaded to change his stance on the issue.{{more}}

Eustace made his position clear on the matter last week Thursday evening at the Stubbs Primary School at a consultation which attracted persons from various parts of the country.

“My view is that we need better air access…if we getting all grants it is a different story. The difference is that I don’t believe we are getting all grants. I believe we need better air access to promote our development. It does not necessarily have to come through an international airport,” said Eustace.

“If we cannot get mainly grant funds to finance the airport, then crapo will smoke we pipe for all of us,” said Eustace.

Eustace said even though the proposed international airport for Argyle is the largest project to be undertaken by the country, the project’s budget is not a part of the National Budget. He said as a result of this, there is no direct accountability to the Parliament of St.Vincent and the Grenadines.

He noted that when Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves announced the project to the nation in August 2005, the Prime Minister had anticipated a project that would cost approximately $480 million dollars.

This figure was arrived at after updating a 1998 study carried out on alternative sites for airport development.

“After eight years, there has only been but a 10 per cent increase in the cost of the project from 1998 to 2005.That had to be a joke because given the rate of inflation, the rate at which prices are rising for construction materials,” said Eustace.

He said the cost put forward by the Government is questionable and claimed that is the reason he requested Stewart Engineering, who had done the study for MMM consultants in 1998, to look again at the cost. Stewart Engineering is owned by Glenford Stewart, a former Government Minister in the New Democratic Party (NDP) administration.

Eustace reiterated that Stewart Engineering estimates the cost of the airport to be in the region of $1.1 Billion.

“I accept, I accept that of Stewart’s. I think it is real. Much more real than what we have before us today. I want to say this, within a week or so of making my presentation, the goodly gentleman here (pointing to Dr.Rudolph Matthias) increased the cost by $109 million. I want to point that out because if he can make a change like that in a week, I not obligated to accept the first presentation,” said Eustace.(HN)