Pitt shows US group is really a friend of Argyle

Upon completion, the Argyle International airport will be the passport to the future of St Vincent and the Grenadines.{{more}}

Godfrey Pitt, President of the Friends of the Argyle International Airport USA shared this view on Tuesday at Government House, while handing over US $15,000 on behalf of his organization, to the project.

This is the organization’s third donation since it was formed in 2010.

Pitt, who has been residing in New York for 35 years, said he was once approached by an individual who told him that by raising funds for the airport, he is “bigging up the prime minister.”

“I said nah! I said look at all the prime ministers in the region that helped build, develop and improve international airports, they all are gone, but we are using their facilities. It’s about time Vincentians wake up and work together. Don’t be afraid of the word sacrifice. It’s a powerful word, but once we unite, St Vincent isn’t only going to be St Vincent, but we are going to be special in the Caribbean,” he added.

He explained that the idea to form the organization came about when he, and fellow ex-policeman Arthur DeShong were among 35 New York Police Department (NYPD) officers and 15 ex-policemen who journeyed from New York to St Vincent in 2010.

He said after arriving in Barbados from the United States, the group had to charter LIAT to fly over to St Vincent. “When we got to St Vincent, half of our luggage was left in Barbados.

“The New York police officers were very upset. As a Vincentian, I know what it is to travel and to be two weeks in St Vincent without my luggage.

“Because I was one of the organizers, those officers came to me very angry and wanted to know when they are going to get their luggage. It’s hard to describe. I have no control over LIAT. So I just gave them the assurance that the next day or two, we would get our luggage.”

“So we traveled to the Botanic Gardens. We also traveled to Mesopotamia, went up Rabbaca Dry River bridge and we ended up at the Argyle International airport site.

He said it was while they were at the airport site that the idea to form the organization to raise funds for the airport came to him.

“I said, I am about to start something and everybody keep smiling. I said, would all of you be on board with me and they said yes. I travelled back to New York a couple days later and formed the Friends of Argyle International Airport USA.”

He said the challenges are great but the organization continues to work.

“The government of St Vincent and the Grenadines is toiling. Let’s join together because after we are gone, our airport will be there.” (AA)