Caribbean Times 100th issue - Friday 29th April 2016
Caribbean Times 100th issue - Friday 29th April 2016
Caribbean Times 100th issue - Friday 29th April 2016
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12 c a r i b b e a n t i m e s . a g<br />
<strong>Friday</strong> <strong>29th</strong> <strong>April</strong> <strong>2016</strong><br />
PM Skerrit hints at relocating<br />
Douglas Charles Airport<br />
ROSEAU - Prime Minister<br />
Roosevelt Skerrit has<br />
hinted the government’s intention<br />
to relocate the Douglas-Charles<br />
Airport to a safer<br />
location. The airport, located<br />
in Melville Hall, has suffered<br />
from floodwaters in recent<br />
times.<br />
“Clearly, we have to address<br />
the <strong>issue</strong> of the airport<br />
and the location of the airport<br />
because while we will build<br />
the retainer walls, where we<br />
will mitigate against any potential<br />
hazards, we have to<br />
look at a new and safer site<br />
for our airport,” Skerrit said<br />
on Kairi’s Heng Program recently.<br />
BASSETERRE - Over the years,<br />
and even before the birth of CARICOM,<br />
Guyana and St. Kitts and Nevis have been<br />
enjoying fruitful relations and the government<br />
of the South American country<br />
is now endeavoring to further strengthen<br />
bilateral ties.<br />
Guyana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs,<br />
the Hon. Carl Greenidge told media representatives<br />
at the recently concluded<br />
ECLAC meeting held in St. Kitts that his<br />
government would be looking intently<br />
at past relationships and uses them as a<br />
launching pad for future development.<br />
The Minister pointed to the movement<br />
of skilled labour in the past as part<br />
of the bilateral relationship that exists between<br />
the two countries. Going forward,<br />
the South American nation would be<br />
looking at several areas of interest where<br />
trade and other relations can be fostered.<br />
“There are opportunities I think for<br />
cooperation on a variety of fronts that<br />
“And, this is a firm commitment<br />
on the government’s<br />
behalf.” During the passage<br />
of Tropical Storm Erika, last<br />
year, the Melville Hall River,<br />
causing every piece of equipment<br />
at the facility to be destroyed,<br />
flooded the airport.<br />
The fencing, runway, taxiway,<br />
apron, and access roads<br />
were also damaged. The government<br />
said the airport suffered<br />
damages in excess of<br />
$41-million. On March 15,<br />
the airport was again flooded<br />
due to heavy rains.<br />
Meantime, the Prime Minister<br />
pledged the government’s<br />
support for the construction of<br />
a much talked-about international<br />
airport on the island.<br />
However, he stated that the<br />
government is incapable of<br />
funding the venture by itself.<br />
“We’ve never been opposed<br />
to an international airport,” he<br />
said.<br />
“We’ve always articulated<br />
our support for the international<br />
airport; but, we’ve<br />
always put a caveat on our<br />
support for the international<br />
airport by saying that it would<br />
be impossible for the government,<br />
on its own, to finance<br />
the airport.”<br />
Skerrit hinted that the government<br />
has been exploring<br />
different avenues to achieve<br />
the venture. “And, this is why<br />
have fallen away; the sharing of expertise,<br />
access to markets and the likes. And<br />
so we would be taking up with St. Kitts<br />
and Nevis what the possibilities are,”<br />
Greenidge said.<br />
The Minister also told the media that<br />
Guyana could partner with the sharing of<br />
artifacts to further boost the Federation’s<br />
booming tourism industry.<br />
“You have a vibrant tourism industry<br />
and we can look at the supply more carefully<br />
of artifacts and materials. Guyana<br />
has a very large indigenous community, a<br />
we’ve been looking at different<br />
mechanisms towards the<br />
realization of the international<br />
airport; and, we are pursuing<br />
those opportunities,” he explained.<br />
“And once we are<br />
in a position to report to you<br />
firmly, then we will report<br />
back to you firmly.” Stated<br />
PM Skerrit. (Dominica News<br />
Online).<br />
Guyana to build on bilateral relations with SKN<br />
vibrant community, the only one that has<br />
grown continually since 19th Century.”<br />
Guyanese, like many others from<br />
CARICOM member states, have utilized<br />
the free movement under the <strong>Caribbean</strong><br />
Single Market and Economy (CSME),<br />
which has allowed for professionals to<br />
move throughout the region, while business<br />
owners can establish entities within<br />
the region as well.<br />
Greenidge noted that in the long term<br />
Guyana’s market is open to the Federation,<br />
pointing out that when an airline<br />
arrangement is in place, the two countries<br />
could work towards an arrangement<br />
within the tourism sector that would benefit<br />
both nations. The Federation is part<br />
of a partial scope agreement with both<br />
Guyana and Brazil that would allow for<br />
the movement of goods from St. Kitts<br />
and Nevis into the Portuguese-speaking<br />
South American market without a heavy<br />
tariffs. (SKNVibes).