Decree 832-03 authorized the opening up to civilian traffic of the San
Isidro Air Base, located east of Ozama River, about 15 minutes from Las Americas
International Airport. The airport would accommodate small airplanes that need
to be relocated from Herrera International Airport. The land where Herrera is
located has been sold for commercial use, now that the Luper?n area is being
slated as the next Avenida Duarte. Already doing business successfully on
Luper?n Avenue are the Canal, Sema, Gran Via stores, and many more are expected
to open within the next two or three years.
Sources of El Caribe newspaper say that the construction of facilities for
commercial flights and hangars for small craft has been incorporated into the
plans for the remodeling of the San Isidro air.
The opening of Higuero-La Isabela International Airport has been at a standstill
despite the completion of most construction works. Pending is the certification
of the airport by international organizations. Drainage and the potential danger
of birds that fly over the nearby Duquesa garbage dump are mentioned as the two
leading problems delaying the certification. Both these problems were mentioned
when the site was chosen during the Fern?ndez government.
The government entrusted a commission to oversee the conversion of the airport
to a hybrid operation. Members of the commission are Minister of Environment
Frank Moya Pons, Minister of Public Works Miguel Vargas, chief of the Arforce
Virgilio Ubaldo Sierra, director of Civil Aviation Carlos Alvarez Guzman and the
director of the Airport Department, Carlos Garbriel Garcia.