Government Committed to Balanced Approach to Development and Environmental Protection-PM Skerrit
Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has expressed concern over calls for a shutdown of quarrying operations at Deux Branches, saying such calls fail to offer any practical alternative for sourcing construction material for the International Airport Project.
Speaking at his End of Year Press Conference on Monday, Prime Minister Skerrit stressed that the international airport project was a strategic investment in Dominica’s long-term economic resilience and global connectivity, and that quarrying activities would continue in a responsible manner.
“The international airport is being built for the benefit of the people of Dominica and will serve every sector of our economy, including tourism, agriculture, trade and every small business,” he said.
“Naturally, such a project requires construction material. The central issue, therefore, is not whether material will be used. It must be. The real question is this: Should Dominica import millions of tons of aggregate from another country, damaging the natural environment of other people, while preserving ours untouched? Or should we responsibly use a small portion of our own resources to build an international airport that is essential for our children’s future?” the Prime Minister argued.
He warned that importing aggregate would shift environmental harm to another developing nation and expose Dominica to higher costs, supply uncertainties, project delays and lost employment opportunities for local workers.
“No responsible government can justify exporting the environmental burden to another nation while refusing to utilize resources available at home, especially for a project that is national in scope and designed to uplift our own people,” he said.
He said the Government would ensure responsible development by prioritising the use of local materials where it is economically viable and environmentally manageable; strictly enforcing compliance with the Physical Planning Act, including environmental impact assessments and continuous monitoring; implementing strong sediment control, rehabilitation and environmental safeguards; and taking immediate action to pause or adjust operations whenever impacts exceed acceptable limits.
“To be clear, responsible, regulated extraction for a national development project is fundamentally different from reckless exploitation of the environment. The Government’s obligation is to strike a balance in which we protect Dominica’s natural heritage while building the infrastructure our country urgently needs,” he stressed.
