El Caribe columnist Bernardo Vega presents a very plainly worded and coherent solution to one of the most prickly problems facing the incoming administration. Some will remember that over four years ago the PLD offered to cede the lands being used by the Herrera Airport as payment for debts contracted by the government in various of the so-called mega projects. The airport at El Higuero was built ? against many ecologists? recommendations ? as a substitute, and has since proved to be unsuitable for commercial aviation. Vega solves the problem with a facility that would make big-league general managers green with envy. First, Vega would put the helicopter squadrons of the Air Force at Higuero, since they are slow-moving and won?t run into the birds in the area that make the use of airplanes unsafe. The very few planes operated by the Air Force could be placed at other major airports such as Herrera, Santiago or Las Americas. Given that the Higuero Air Base is fairly close to the Camp of the First Brigade, Vega postulates, a short road could be built to solve logistical and integration problems. If, over time, the problems of the Duquesa dump site are solved and the birds go away, the Air Force planes could then use Higuero. Herrera would remain as it is and would greatly benefit tourism. The land around the San Isidro Air Force Base that is used for the housing of officers, retirees and enlisted personnel, would also remain as is with the shops and other installations. The space occupied by the airbase itself (some 4 million square meters – well over 1000 acres) compared to the 800,000 square meters at Herrera, would be used to settle the debt with the contractors. The land could then be evaluated and handed over to those construction firms that are owed money at a rate equivalent to the value of the land in Herrera. The land around San Isidro would be easily commercialized, as it has been gaining value and is appropriate for commercial and housing purposes. The fact that Higuero has been partially constructed with funding from a private concessionaire, or with funds that this entity has deducted from its obligations to the Dominican state, does not impede the eventual use of the airport as a non-concession enterprise. With all of the trading done, Vega points out that tourism and the service industries are the most important elements in the Dominican economy. In fact, agriculture and farming produce only 5% of the GDP, while services provide a solid 64%. Tourism alone provides 18% of the GDP, hence the importance of maintaining efficient local and international air service.