Trinidad
committed to international airport in St
Vincent
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Published
on Monday, July 14, 2008 |
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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.
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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. |
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