St Vincent's largest airport opened in Canouan

KINGSTOWN, St Vincent (CMC):

An EC$58 million (US$21.5 million) jet airport has opened in the southern Grenadines island of Canouan with Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves describing the project as a key to the creation of a modern economy.

The project is a joint venture between the government and Italian investor Antonio Saladino of Canouan Resorts Development (CRD) Group of Companies.

It involved the rehabilitation of the terminal building and the reclaiming of lands from the sea to facilitate the extension of the runway to 5,900 feet, making it 1,300 feet longer than the ET Joshua Airport on mainland St Vincent and therefore, the largest airport in the multi-island state.

Gonsalves said that development in the airline industry and the continuous upgrading of aircraft made the Canouan jet port project necessary.

feature address

"The development of the airline industry is not waiting on us. We have to put our house in order to face air travel in the 21st century as we seek to build a modern, competitive, many-sided, post-colonial economy, which is, at once, local, regional and international," he said as he delivered the feature address at the opening ceremony on Sunday.

He said that the over 100 per cent jump in passenger travel to Canouan over the last four years would make the airport immediately viable.

In 2003, some 15,000 passengers landed at the airport while records show that last year, the number jumped to 33,000.

Additionally, Gonsalves said it is expected that Canouan and Mustique visitors who usually leave their private jets in Barbados, St Lucia and mainland St Vincent, would now use the facility at Canouan.

The prime minister also took the opportunity to defend his government's decision to acquire a US$15 million commercial loan at an 8.5 per cent interest rate for the project in the face of criticism from the opposition.

"This is an investment. When you have to make an investment and you can't get the money through a grant or you can't get it as a soft loan, you have to borrow it at commercial rates and try to get it at the most reasonable commercial rates possible. That is the reality of the world," Gonsalves insisted.

crucial to the continued development

Meanwhile, CRD's chairman said the new airport was crucial to the continued development of the island and the sustainability of his investments on Canouan.

Among these are the renowned Raffles Resort and the Trump International Golf Club and Casino.

"Of all those achievements, nothing single-handedly will have a greater impact on each and everyone's lives to the same extent of this new jet port," Saladino asserted.

"Without the appropriate infrastructure, there could be no growth, and no growth means that the project to date could not be sustained.

"This facility now guarantees us more visitors and the residual effect of this investment to both Canouan and the state will be monumental," the investor added.