The Government of Dominica has signed a contract with Montreal Management Consultants Establishment (MMCE) Ltd. for the construction of an international airport. The airport which is to be financed by the Citizenship By Investment Programme(CBI) is expected to cost in the region of about 1 Billion ECD.
At the signing ceremony on Wednesday, the Prime Minister, Hon.Roosevelt Skerrit said this is the tangible and visible evidence that his Government will deliver the international airport.
“Today, we see the evidence of its substance about to take shape in Dominica. After today, the airport will begin to rise out of the ground, then from the ground to the air and I give you this solemn assurance that planes will land here direct from Europe and the United States of America in 2025”.
The Prime Minister said further that this contract signing is historic and will redefine the future of Dominica and its people.
“Today, we take one step closer to fully claiming the new prosperity which will be ours. Today, we create new opportunities for this country and its citizens”.
The Prime Minister addressed persons who raised concerns over the awarding of the contract to MMCE.
“And so those who are against the use of the CBI funds must tell the people of Dominica how would they finance the construction of the international airport because I make this point my dear friends to share with you the global landscape in which small island developing states such as Dominica are forced to operate and compete. Capital to build an international airport is impossible to come by for a country like Dominica.”
However, according to an official press release by the Alternative People’s Party(APP), the concern is over the awarding of a No Bid contract to MMCE.
Excerpts of the Press Release Follow
“The absence of a thoroughly transparent and competitive bidding process suggests a form of monopoly building that does not happen with such public interest, government projects. There is also the question of contract procurement, as to exactly what prices, material, provision of services, labor, payment/wages, and other considerations. For example, the level of effort and involvement of local contractors. When will the citizens of Dominica receive these details.
The financing of the project must also be clearly articulated before any developmental contract is awarded. It appears as if Montreal Management Consultants Est. (MMCE) has been handpicked to build the airport, and we have some questions. What is the total cost of the project? Has MMCE constructed such a project before? If MMCE is using the people’s citizenship money, who will account to the people & how?
What did the Environmental Impact Study (EIA) say about the proposed site for the project? How long will the construction process take? Who is responsible for project oversight? When were the public consultations held? When was the request for proposals and project management qualification advertised, and what medium was used? Are we placing the cart before the horse with this abruptly announced signing ceremony? What about the operational feasibility study and other economic projections: when will these questions be answered?
What is most worrisome is a Dominica Labour Party (DLP) press release which states that a previously planned partisan event is rescheduled “to coincide with the historic signing of the contract for the construction of the international airport.” Why should this most significant capital project be reduced to a partisan – Red Day – event”.
The international airport is expected to take five years to be completed.
