Government Pleased With the Status of Work on the Melville Hall Airport Project

by Emmanuel H. Joseph
Government Information Service

Minister responsible for Public Utilities, Energy and Ports, Hon. Charles Saverin, is pleased with the status of work on the Melville Hall Airport Development Project. On Thursday, November 20, 2008, the Minister went on tour of the project site along with officials from the Dominica Air and Sea Port Authority and engineers attached to the project.

New terminal building at the Melville Hall Airport

According to Hon. Saverin, one can see the project taking life as part of the development project is already in use.

Hon. Charles Saverin, Minister for Public Utilities, Energy and Ports

“We can see a transformation; both the arrivals and check-in areas are complete and operational. The departure lounge is currently being constructed, that is the area between the two eastern and western ends of the terminal building which have already been built. So what is being done now is the departure longue, the VIP lounge and other services for the post office and the customs area and so forth. The furniture that had not arrived when we began to use the arrivals’ hall are now being installed, some of them already operational. One can see the project is taking life.”

Work being done on the airport project

In the meantime, French company, COLAS has begun phase two of the project which will run for twelve (12) months. The company has been contracted to provide surfacing and drainage and lighting of the runway and security fencing.

Meanwhile, Minister Saverin said that Offshore Marine Company has been progressing well in the construction of the sea and river defence works. The river has been diverted and efforts are on the way to make that diversion permanent. In addition, land has been reclaimed from the sea and that is the reason why sea defence works is needed to prevent the sea encroaching on the field that will be used to give the extension needed for the reserved end safety areas. The majority of the work on the project is expected to be completed by September 2009.

     
New Check-in area                                                                 Sea defence wall