Aerial shot of the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport. By. VIPA
During a meeting of the V.I. Port Authority (VIPA) Governing Board Friday, Executive Director Carlton Dowe provided a comprehensive update on the authority's progress in the past month, highlighting current projects and future plans.
"We held an Investor Summit in the St. Croix district and the St. Thomas/St. John district," said Dowe. "The community came out as we educated and updated them on the progress we are making on our plans to partner with a private company to modernize and improve the Henry Rohlsen airport on St. Croix and the Cyril E. King airport on St. Thomas." Dowe stated that the public-private partnership development process continues to advance.
However, Dowe expressed concern over the ongoing issue of the Anguilla landfill, describing it as a “bone of contention” between VIPA and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Despite this, Dowe reported that VIPA officials had a “fruitful” meeting with the FAA in the past month and expressed hope for ongoing communication with the agency.
Board member Celestino White expressed apprehensions about how the landfill might influence the airport redevelopment project on St. Croix, especially as the FAA is advocating for its relocation. In response, Dowe reassured that the landfill's present state would not compromise VIPA's relationship with the FAA or impact any grants for the Henry Rohlsen airport.
Dowe stressed that VIPA doesn't have control over the landfill – the responsibility lies with the Waste Management Authority (WMA), a government agency. Dowe mentioned that WMA had proposed a plan, which he would elaborate on in an executive session.
Board member Lionel Jacobs also drew attention to the landfill issue, expressing his frustration with the garbage problem in the islands. Reflecting on his time in Florida, Jacobs suggested studying their waste management model and encouraged the government to take action.
However, Dowe re-emphasized that the responsibility to address the landfill issue lies not with VIPA but with WMA and the central government.
