The first phase of the Union Island Airport Rehabilitation Project came to a successful completion on the evening of May 14, 2009. The CCA Limited team of twenty men, including sub-contractors from Union Island, the crew responsible for the Canouan Airport Project in 2008,  and a team of  Canadian asphalt specialists, undertook and completed the  first phase of the project, which necessitated two weeks of airport closure . 

Project Works included the asphalt re-surfacing of the runway , taxi way and apron, a surface area amounting to a total of almost 250,000 sq feet,  pavement markings and minor landscaping of the area designated for parking of planes. Asphalt used on the project was ferried by a fleet of trucks via by M. V. Bequia Express and M.V. Jayden T, from the asphalt plant on Canouan, to Union Island. 

This measure involved the hauling of over 3400 tons of asphalt to the Project site, without affecting the Union Island community with the fumes and noise associated with an asphalt plant.Excess asphalt was used to pave a road near to the airport.

According to Mr. Lorenzo Zazzeri, Project Manager, the Project was completed ahead of schedule, and he attributed this to the fair weather and the determination and professionalism of the crew.  He also highlighted the full support provided by the Airports Department, the Ministry of Works, and the Prime Minister’s Office as being vital to the smooth and unencumbered implementation of the Project.

The second phase of the Rehabilitation Project entails the placement of rock armoring towards the western end of the landing strip, to improve the protection of the newly renovated infrastructure. CCA Limited was the lowest bidder out of three tenders and received the contract from the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines to undertake the Rehabilitation Project,  at a cost of EC$4 million plus VAT. Just as they did to welcome the arrival of the heavy duty equipment which signaled the beginning of the project, scores of Union Island residents turned out to witness the finishing touches being put to the apron, to mark the completion of the Project.

One Union Island resident told THE VINCENTIAN, he was amazed.  “The men, local and foreign, worked like hell to get the project finished.  They and CCA must be complimented.”  The Union Island Airport reopened for flight operations, Tuesday May 19, 2009.

 source of article:
2009/05/21
The Vincentian Newspaper
www.thevincentian.com