Disassociating myself from Peter Binose, Ralph haters on AIA

Editor: As one of the nation’s severest critics of the need for Argyle Interna­tional Airport, I wish to completely and unequivocally disassociate myself from a tiny Vincentian cabal of “Ralph-haters,” led by a notorious man, surely worthy of the Prime Minister’s “Internet crazy” label, who employs the pseudonym “Peter Binose” (among countless others), who for years has posted dozens of semi-literate articles, by his own admission often carbon copied to overseas airlines and airport approval bodies, arguing that AIA is unsafe for landing because: (1) the local wind studies were fabricated; (2) the runway and allied infrastructure were not built to acceptable international standards; (3) the whole airport would be chronically flooded by heavy rains; and (4) the remote Soufrière volcano will soon bury it in a sea of lava (at least if terrorists don’t blow it up first!).

My own position on the physical construction of AIA is that because I have no engineering expertise, I cannot comment on such complex construction issues.

I have repeatedly asked Mr Binose, a man with no apparent formal education beyond primary school, let alone any professional engineering credentials, to substantiate these and other wild claims with at least a bit of objective and verifiable evidence, but have only received equivocation, personal vilification, and laughable charges of envy, grudge, spite, and malice in return.

While psychopathic or otherwise delusional individuals can be dangerous and in need of professional treatment, the public interest also demands that their rantings be challenged by minimally demanding that they “put up or shut up.” Unfortunately, Peter Binose has proven incapable of doing either.

C ben-David