Trinidad committed to international airport in St Vincent   Published on Monday, July 14, 2008   By Duggie Joseph Caribbean Net News St Vincent Correspondent Email: duggie@caribbeannetnews.com KINGSTOWN, St Vincent: Patrick Manning, Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago has pledged his government’s assistance in helping St Vincent and the Grenadines realise its goal of constructing an international airport. Manning was invited to Sunday’s ‘ground-breaking ceremony’ for the airport but was unable to attend. However, he sent an official statement, which was read by Hans King, Press Secretary for Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves. Blasting of rock to signal the start of construction of the airport in St Vincent In his statement, Manning pointed out that his government had opened a CARICOM Petroleum Stabilisation Fund three years ago, the purpose of which was to assist with poverty alleviation and to provide relief in emergency situations. “In response to a request from the Government of St Vincent and the Grenadines for US$10 million to start with the construction of this runway, Trinidad and Tobago decided to establish a special window in the CARICOM Petroleum Stabilisation Fund, to help finance infrastructure development projects and programmes of countries within the OECS (Organization of Eastern Caribbean States), with an allocation of TT$6.5 million per month,” Manning said in his official statement. Manning said establishing the special window became necessary, since St Vincent and the Grenadines’ request did not meet the established criteria for assessing money from the Fund. “The Government of Trinidad and Tobago, recognising the need to commence this project without undue delay, decided to capitalise up front, the funds in the special window by a sum of TT$78 million, that is, an injection of one year’s funding at TT$6.5 million per month,” Manning stated. He went on to state that the new world economic order, resulting from globalisation, in particular the removal of preferential market access for bananas and sugar, “has made it essential for St Vincent and the Grenadines to focus its economy on the tourism sector, an occurrence which makes an international airport requisite for its economic and social development.” Manning pointed out in his statement that his country’s commitment to helping the St Vincent and the Grenadines’ administration with the construction of an international was not the first for his country. “Indeed, the Government of Trinidad and Tobago aided another CARICOM member in the construction of its airport facilities during the era when Dr Eric Williams was Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago,” Manning’s statement read. The governments of Cuba, Venezuela, Taiwan, Mexico, Turkey, Austria and Trinidad and Tobago are part of what Dr Gonsalves has termed “the coalition of the willing.” The international airport, which will be constructed in the Argyle area, is expected to cost some EC$500 million and is scheduled for completion by 2011.  www.caribbeannetnews.com