Airport terminal expected to be completed September 2013

The terminal building of the international airport at Argyle is now 23 per cent complete and its construction is expected to be completed, barring any natural disasters, by the end of September, 2013.{{more}}

Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves, in an update given to Parliament on Tuesday, on the construction of the international airport, indicated that a stone crushing plant was being installed.

At a press conference earlier this year, Gonsalves had announced that a stone crusher was going to be installed and commissioned to allow the International Airport Development Company (IADC) to begin to stockpile stones to begin paving work.

He also announced that two loaders had already been brought in and that they would be used to move the stones to the crusher, after they have been dug out from the site.

Work is expected to begin on the base paving of the runway and other areas, including the apron, after the stone crushing plant has been installed, Gonsalves said.

“A paver is already here, it is parked at BRAGSA (the Buildings, Roads and General Services Authority) and the purpose for that is to help in the laying of the stone base,” Gonsalves explained.

Additional pieces of equipment are still needed, including those being sourced for the asphalt plant, rollers and the cement plant.

“But before you get there to do the work, you have to first lay the base and we have the loaders and the paver,” the prime minister said.

He added that sometime later this month, five trucks are expected to arrive from a Puerto Rican company, RIMCO, and these would be used to transport the stones to the stone crusher.

He said that he had been advised by the IADC that, all things being equal, the earthworks, including paving and the other ancillary services, would be completed by the end of 2013, so that they would be able to do all the final approvals with the Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority and the International Aviation Organization.

Back in May, the Prime Minister announced that approximately 72.5 per cent of the total earth works had been completed, as of May 12 this year.

He further indicated that earthworks on the runway, apron and taxiway are about 75 per cent complete, adding that by the end of this year, 90 per cent is expected to be completed and that by the middle of 2013, all of the earthworks should be completed.(DD)