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A section of the expansive stretch that has been cleared to accommodate the runway for the Argyle International Airport in St Vincent and the Grenadines

KINGSTOWN, St Vincent -- CEO of the Barbados-based CARICOM Development Fund (CDF), Ambassador Lorne McDonnough, is pleased with the pace and quality of development of the new EC$240 million Argyle International Airport in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG).

McDonnough, accompanied by his director of regional development Lennox Forte, gave the project thumbs up during a recent visit to the 175-acre site, following approval by CDF’s board of directors of a second loan of EC$8.8 million to International Airport Development Company (IADC), the wholly government-owned limited liability company responsible for the development. The initial input was EC$11.2 million in loan and grants in May 2011.

IADC’s chairman and CEO Dr Rudolph Matthias, consultant engineer Leonardo Perez and chief project engineer Jeffrey Cato gave the CDF party detailed reports on the progress of the development, followed by a drive-through of the sprawling site.

Work on the Argyle International Airport began in 2008 and is set for completion by September 2013. It will feature a 9,000ft long by 150ft. wide runway capable of accommodating commercial jets as large as Boeing 747s and 400s and a 145,000 sq. ft. terminal building. This will comprise three main floor areas, namely an 85,000 sq. ft. ground floor, a 40,000 sq. ft. first floor and a 10,000 sq. ft. mezzanine floor. A fourth-floor semi-covered roof patio will be used for future expansion of the departure area if traffic demands.

The building, which is also designed to accommodate air bridges, will be about six times the size of that of the country’s existing ET Joshua Airport at Arnos Vale and will actually be two separate terminals under one roof. One will be for processing international and regional flights and the other for domestic flights to and from four other small airports in the Grenadines.

The CDF officials also inspected the stone crushing plant, quarry and base laying equipment which includes five dump trucks, a paver, two rock trucks, two front end loaders and a rock hammer procured by IADC with the first loan and grants. The additional loan will be used to buy equipment for the paving works and laboratory testing.

McDonnough said afterward: “I do not think many people in the Caribbean truly understand the magnitude of what is being accomplished here. I am really impressed with the progress that has been made. It’s truly impressive and I am very happy that CDF has been able to assist this massive undertaking in our own very small way.”

When completed, the Argyle International will fully replace the existing E.T. Joshua Airport and increase passenger capacity by almost four times.

Matthias noted that IADC was pleased with CDF’s continued show of confidence in the project and its potential for the overall development of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

“It is also good to see CDF’s responsiveness to the project as it will benefit the country and the region in many aspects including export and intraregional travel, among other things,” he said.

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Peter:

Whoever in CARICOM released this statement should be taken outside and shot. The directors who approved this statement are a bunch of incompetents. Of course the possibility is that they have been lied to and tricked.

CEO of the Barbados-based CARICOM Development Fund (CDF), Ambassador Lorne McDonnough, is pleased with the pace and quality of development of the new EC$240 million Argyle International Airport in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG).
CRAP THE AIRPORT WILL COST AT LEAST 1 BILLION EC DOLLARS. IT HAS ALREADY BANKRUPTED SVG.

Work on the Argyle International Airport began in 2008 and is set for completion by September 2013.
CRAP THE AIRPORT WILL BE FINISHED IN 2015.

REMEMBER WHEN LOOKING AT FIGURES AND DATES, he said “I am here to finish the work of Maurice Bishop”

Peter:

Ambassador Lorne McDonnough, what on earth are you talking about. GONSALVES has bankrupt SVG with this project. He told the Vincentian public via his cousin Senator Francis that the project was being funded by a 'coallition of the willing' and there would be no debt now or in the future for the Vincentian tax payer. This has turned out to be an enormous lie.

Every part of the project is based on scrounging and borrowing. Eventually falling on the people of SVG to suffer hardships. Work at the airport given to Cubans instead of Vincentians, and to top it all the Cubans are paid three times that of Vincentians. This money is transmitted to Cuba, so our economy doesn't benefit from this money curculating in SVG.

The money doesn't even benefit CARICOM.

And you praise and embelish this man GONSALVES.

Peter:

Ambassador Lorne McDonnough, what on earth are you talking about. GONSALVES has bankrupt SVG with this project. He told the Vincentian public via his cousin Senator Francis that the project was being funded by a 'coalition of the willing' and there would be no debt now or in the future for the Vincentian tax payer. This has turned out to be an enormous lie.

Every part of the project is based on scrounging from foreign countries in return for supporting them with our UN vote, and borrowing from all and sundry, specializing in states such as Iran and Syria. Eventually falling on the people of SVG to suffer hardships. Work at the airport given to Cubans instead of Vincentians, and to top it all the Cubans are paid three times that of Vincentians. This money is transmitted to Cuba, so our economy doesn't benefit from this money circulating in SVG.

There are known and recorded instances of fraud regarding the project.

The money doesn't even benefit CARICOM, its spent in Cuba.

Your projected figures are beyond the belief of any sane person “the new EC$240 million Argyle International Airport in St Vincent and the Grenadines” the project is between 1 billion and 1.5billion EC dollars, not EC$240 million. You state that the project will complete in 2012, the government says 2003, what is obvious is that it will not be finished on 2015.

The article is most misleading, its great being diplomatic, but if you can’t put your name to the truth remain quiet or carry out proper research, don’t rely on what the SVG government tell you.

You need to be aware that the land owners who had their land taken from them for the airport, some 60 persons or families, still haven’t been paid for their land. The only people who have been paid are house owners and members of the ruling ULP party. Farmers have lost their land, lost their income and are suffering, some unable to afford to send their children to school or afford medical attention.

If you search the internet you will find that what I write is true.

Simon Anderson:

There were three original responses to this article.

....All were written by Peter. AKA Brian Alexander.

I told you that Peter/Brian just loves to see his name in print.

Ah right or wrong?



Some people just enjoy making fools of themselves.

L Sutton:

I totally endorse Peter's comments