WHICH Airport ?????

In today's DR1 Travel News there is a statement by our esteemed Minister of Tourism Subervi Bonilla that he expects 500,000 Puerto Rican visitors to come to the DR. He also goes on to say that a lot of them will be coming to Samana via the new, larger, almost-completed airport (see the news statement below).

I'd sure as hell like to know which airport he's referring to as not a spadefull of earth has been turned since last year at el Catey's international airport that is supposedly under construction and all work also stopped at Samana's Arroyo Barril (also designated International but last referred to as "regional") airport some time ago and has not resumed. El Catey is at least two years from completion and who knows what will happen to the political football that Arroyo Barril has become and if it will EVER be completed after more than 10 years under construction and despite President Balaguer's promise in 1987 that Samana would have an international airport.

Maybe Bonilla's referring to el Portillo's landing strip where a month ago I noticed they had finally cut the weeds growing through the tarmac and painted some landing aids on the strip's surface.

Subervi Bonilla's statement in today's Travel News: "Suberv? is betting on Samana as the next popular destination for the Puerto Rican market. He said the larger airport there that is nearing completion will make a big difference."

Maybe he really plan's to parachute them in?

Although the runway and the terminal building at the Arroyo Barril airport are finished, the electronics and runway lights have yet to be installed. Aerodom ceased all work at both Arroyo Barril and el Catey airports quite some time ago and until more funding is available nothing else will happen. I understand a $150 million dollar loan was approved by the IADB but then the Baniter scandal broke and everything was put on indefinate hold.

Arroyo Barril was ready for the final installation of electronics and runway lights almost three years ago but Aerodom and the government had other ideas about not finishing it and building yet another airport at el Catey. As I said, an airport, ANY airport for Samana has become a political football and as Ken said, he and I may not live to see one completed.

American Eagle's Samana-San Juan-Miami route was announced about 3 years ago and that too went by the wayside. As it is only some charter flights are utilizing the airport at this time and only in daylight hours. Most of the charters are on-island flights originating in Punta Cana or Santo Domingo, but a few are coming in from Puerto Rico.