by Kamala Jno. Baptiste-Aaron
Government Information Service
“Historic” is the word being used to describe the event that is set to take place in Dominica, on Monday, 20th September, 2010. On this day, the Roosevelt Skerrit administration will mark the inaugural night-time flight at Melville Hall Airport, signalling the official of launch of night-landing facilities, for the first time in the country’s history.
The Ministry of Energy, Public Works and Ports is spearheading the initiative. The Hon. Minister for Ports, Rayburn Blackmoore says Monday’s event is momentous and this is why Dominicans from all walks of life will be part of the experience.
“We want to make Monday’s event a collective experience. That is to say, to involve all Dominicans in the process. That is why we are not restricting the actual flight itself to only officials. We are trying to get persons from the various communities, local persons, because ideally, night landing is for all of us. Not only for the Prime Minister or Rayburn Blackmoore or whoever, but it is something for all of us. So, we want Dominicans to be part of that collective experience so we will be having, I can say to you with absolute certainty, that the Bishop of Roseau and other persons including His Excellency will be part of this flight. Of course, we are also inviting the media houses and a number of Dominicans throughout the various localities, some persons from Mahaut, Newtown, Vielle Case, Penville, Portsmouth and Wesley, ordinary persons who have been supporting the Labour Party since before I was born.”
 Hon. Minister for Ports,
Rayburn Blackmoore
According to the Port Minister, the new night landing facilities as well as the physical upgrade of Melville Hall Airport is expected to expand several other sectors.
So what that has done in terms of the improvement programme itself that we have been talking about we are seeing that we are moving from solely a visual airport and that will pave the way for same day connection of course, critical to which is night landing. So that I think is very historic because we have been told for so many years that it would have been impossible to have planes land in Dominica at nights. Even some of us are very cynical about the whole process. What that does is open new possibilities for us and to give us that sense of confidence that we, as a country, if we put our minds together we can move great barriers.”
The inaugural flight is scheduled to leave Melville Hall on a LIAT flight for Antigua at 5:40pm and to return to Dominica at 6:40pm before the start of the ceremony at 7:30pm.
With mere days to go before the first official plane touches down at Melville Hall airport during the night in Dominica, GIS news has confirmed that a program fitting of a major celebration is in the works. The celebrations will include cultural and other musical performances; from the Paix Bouche cultural group, the music lovers government band and others.
Government officials, including Prime Minister Hon. Roosevelt Skerrit and Ports Minister Hon. Rayburn Blackmoore are down to address the ceremony.
Several officials from Dominica as well as the region are expected to attend Monday’s function, including the president of Dominica his Excellency dr. Nicholas Liverpool; representatives of the government of the Bolivarian republic of Venezuela; secretary general of CARICOM Edwin Carrington; and representatives from the European Union.
GIS news can confirm that the inaugural flight is scheduled to land at Melville Hall at 7:20pm. |
