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‘Let’s stop dilly-dallying & get the airport expanded’- Hon Vanterpool

- said VI must invest in its ports
Making the point that the Virgin Islands (VI) must continue to invest in its ports to be able to reap maximum benefits to sustain the economy, Fourth District Representative and prominent entrepreneur Honourable Mark H. Vanterpool has urged his Unity Government to waste no more time in extending the Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport runway on Beef Island. Photo: YouTube/VINO/File
Although American Airlines (AA) will be making a return to the [British] Virgin Islands on June 1, 2023, an extended airport runway is still needed. Photo: AA
Although American Airlines (AA) will be making a return to the [British] Virgin Islands on June 1, 2023, an extended airport runway is still needed. Photo: AA
DUFF’S BOTTOM, Tortola, VI- Making the point that the Virgin Islands (VI) must continue to invest in its ports to be able to reap maximum benefits to sustain the economy, Fourth District Representative and prominent entrepreneur Honourable Mark H. Vanterpool has urged his Unity Government to waste no more time in extending the Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport runway on Beef Island.

‘A marginal airport still isn’t the best thing for us’

“We sit down here dilly-dallying with the airport for years, dilly-dallying, including my government, and now we got to be hoping American Airlines come in. But I want to tell the Minister, put in place the expansion of the airport because a marginal airport still isn’t the best thing for us,” Hon Vanterpool said during the budget debate at the Continuation of the Ninth Sitting of the Fourth Session of the Fourth House of Assembly at Save the Seed Energy Centre in Duff’s Bottom, Tortola on December 20, 2022.

Hon Vanterpool said he was “happy and excited and pleased” to the see the negotiations Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) and Deputy Premier and Minister for Communications and Works Hon Kye M. Rymer (R5) made with American Airlines (AA) to have direct flights from Miami in the USA to Beef Island beginning June 1, 2023; however, the airport expansion is still needed.

“And I hope that it [direct flights with American Airlines] happens and I look forward to it. I will celebrate in June next year, because the country needs it but let’s keep working on the airport expansion and get it right,” Hon Vanterpool insisted.

‘Airport should not cost as much as stated before’

Prior to the hurricanes in September 2017, the then-ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) government had given the cost of extending the runway of the Terrence B. Lettsome International Airport by about 2,455 feet as an estimated $153 million. The figure was then increased to $250 million, as stated in the revised Recovery to Development Plan which was published in December 2017. 

Hon Vanterpool now believes; however, extending the airport runway should not cost the territory the large amounts stated before if it is done in a smart way.

“It doesn’t cost, it should not cost the amount of money we were talking about before…Mr Speaker, we have all kind of trucks here and all kind of rocks/stones, that you tell them truckmen and them rock/stone people to throw some rocks up by the airport tomorrow, before the end of the year there would have big rocks up there…

“Give me the airport to fix for yall…you would see an airport in a short time. Honourable Minister, let’s stop dilly-dallying with the airport and get this thing expanded and move on,” Hon Vanterpool urged.

Both Premier Wheatley and Hon Rymer have previously stated an extended runway is still needed to facilitate direct flights from other areas on the mainland USA and other countries.

Former Speaker Mr Julian Willock has also been one of the voices calling for the extension of the airport runway.

21 Responses to “‘Let’s stop dilly-dallying & get the airport expanded’- Hon Vanterpool”

  • 8th district (03/01/2023, 10:17) Like (12) Dislike (12) Reply
    I agree with Mark but until then we thank the government for the direct flights from Miami.
    • VI Gyal (03/01/2023, 12:33) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      We thank the Government, Airport Manager and American Airlines. AA was already in process of making their presence back in the Caribbean.
  • resident (03/01/2023, 10:17) Like (34) Dislike (0) Reply
    with what money
  • Really (03/01/2023, 10:25) Like (21) Dislike (0) Reply
    Let's talk about all the school that has mole and needs to be break down. Let's talk about the after school program that doesn't exist anymore. Let's talk about jobs that has good pay so the kids don't have to sell drugs for the government. Let's talk about tax return because you all take out of the people pay. All you all do is talk no action on this undeveloped island which the elites calls all the shots. You all only talk this with no sense to the people. I don't care about politics all government officials needs to be voted out. We the people should run the country with no money and every one have what the next person has no war after that
  • W*F (03/01/2023, 11:49) Like (19) Dislike (0) Reply
    Isn’t this what he said about the Pier Park?
  • Hmm (03/01/2023, 12:01) Like (4) Dislike (1) Reply
    Can they not put the air strip in a different angle there is so much more space going to minnis plant area. the roads can be diverted.
  • lol (03/01/2023, 12:11) Like (18) Dislike (0) Reply
    Let’s stop the dilly dallying and vote you out!
  • Watchya (03/01/2023, 12:21) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Good cop bad cop smh
  • reality (03/01/2023, 12:28) Like (2) Dislike (16) Reply
    It should not cost more than $150mil. Realign the runway anticlockwise 15-20 Degrees. Make a tunnel for the traffic at the western end. Reclaim about 1000ft at the wester end and about 500ft at the eastern end. and you will have a runway of international standard.
  • WO (03/01/2023, 12:33) Like (25) Dislike (2) Reply
    We don,t want that big airport
    We want a clean DUMPSTER,NO MORE SMOKE
  • WEW (03/01/2023, 14:08) Like (9) Dislike (0) Reply
    Where are you going’s to find people to effectively and efficiently run a busy airport?
  • MY OPINION (03/01/2023, 14:20) Like (7) Dislike (3) Reply
    I am not flying non stop from Tortola to Miami on American Eagle which is a much smaller plane. I will continue to fly from STT on the regular size American Airlines.
  • cap (03/01/2023, 14:27) Like (24) Dislike (0) Reply
    Let’s stop dilly-dallying and take our country back from corrupt officials who steal from us whilst building these big projects. We don’t need a bigger airport, we need STAFF to run the existing ports, we need to fix the ROADS, we need to fix our SCHOOLS, we need to fix our SEWERAGE systems, we need to fix public WATER supply. There is so much we need to fix and all you big boys want to do it build big projects you can steal from and then say “look what I built while I was in office”
  • Windy (03/01/2023, 15:53) Like (2) Dislike (2) Reply
    What this man has done to Pussers is a shame.
  • smarts (03/01/2023, 21:07) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    Yeah great idea let’s build a runway using rocks and stones and the fabulous truck man who has built our wonderful roads. GTFOH
  • Norris Turnbull (04/01/2023, 13:05) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    The darn airport does not need to be extended. Didn't a 737 landed there the other day? chuupes
    • Yes….but (05/01/2023, 12:07) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
      The 737 was configured as a corporate jet not a regular passenger jet it’s not the same. We need to extend if we have are going to accept regular jets, and have them arrive and depart without issue in the safest way possible.


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