The government of Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has entered into an agreement with Montreal Management Company (MMC) for the building of an international airport in Dominica.
Speaking at the historic signing ceremony at the Windsor Park Stadium Forecourt, Skerrit stated that the government which he have the honour to lead has delivered the first tangible and visible step towards making the International Airport a reality in Dominica.
“Today we see the evidence of its substance about to take shape in Dominica. After today, the airport will begin to rise from the ground, then from the ground to the air and I give you the solemn assurance that plans will land here direct from Europe and the United States of America in 2025,” he said.
He described the occasion as “a historic moment that will redefine the future of Dominica and its people.”
According to Skerrit, during the construction phase of the project three thousand people will be directly employed and many more will indirectly benefit from it.
“The airport will provide permanent employment opportunities from a variety of areas for our young people of Dominica. It will open up opportunities for a range of providers of goods and services from caters, to fuel providers and from maintenance to spa services,” he said.
This he remarked will add hundreds of new jobs to the national economy. “In addition to the direct jobs, the new airport will also create a significant number of indirect jobs in the transport and tourism services sector. This will include those for taxi drivers, farmers, and fisherfolks and increase opportunities for many others,” he stated.
This he said is “only the beginning”. “Our international airport provides a platform for further development, it will be Dominica’s door to the world and the world’s gateway to a new dynamic Dominica,” Skerrit stated.