Dominica: PM Skerrit inspects International Airport Project, praises “transformation”

Dominica: Prime Minister Dr Roosevelt Skerrit conducted an on-site inspection of the ongoing International Airport Project in Wesley on Thursday, January 8, 2026. He was accompanied by his wife Melissa Poponne-Skerrit, who is the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, and his team during the site visit.

PM Skerrit called it a “transformation” and called it a major achievement for Dominica. He said that he is pleased with the progress of the airport. The International Airport,  expected to be completed by the last quarter of 2027, is funded by the Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programme. It is managed by MMC Development, along with China Railway No 5 Engineering Group.

“We always remain committed to the airport and I'm happy that this Dominica Labor Party administration was able to define a strategy and a plan going forward for not only the construction of the airport but crucially, the financing of the airport,” said the Prime Minister of Dominica.

The International Airport will replace the smaller Douglas-Charles Airport, the current main airport of the island. It will improve connectivity by increasing direct access to New York, New Jersey, and Miami. It is also expected to become a key player in the Caribbean hub by connecting the island to Puerto Rico, Barbados and Punta Cana for multi island travel.

Sharing an update on the ongoing project, the Prime Minister of Dominica said that the runway nearly complete and the engineers will apply concrete and natural surfacing to it after the rainy season 2026. 

“The runway is basically settling, after this rain season in 2026, they will be ready to apply concrete and natural surfacing to the runway,” noted PM Skerrit.

He further said that the tunnel is also under construction and will be complete by October 2026. PM Skerrit said that all the on-site buildings, including the terminal, the FBO as the VIP for private aircrafts, fire service customs, and other necessary facilities are all under construction. According to the developers,  the construction of all these structures will be completed by November 2026, with internal works starting immediately after.

PM Skerrit highlighted the benefits that this new airport will bring for Dominica. This includes a boosted economy, creating jobs for people, and more opportunities for farmers and taxi operators. The airport will also increase the number of visitors in the country which will benefit local businesses.

The Prime Minister said that they also invested 200 million dollars in redeveloping Douglas-Charles Airport to build new facilities, including a new terminal building, runway, extending a runway, and a new fire fire service station after Hurricane Erica. They also introduced night landing in Dominica which was not possible until before his government.

Addressing environment concerns, the Prime Minister said that the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is being implemented at the airport site and at the Deeper quarry location. He also asked people to prepare a document and send it to him and his government. Together, they will review it and work on it.