President Hipolito Mejia decided yesterday to leave the dilemma of the Higuero (Isabela-Joaquin Balaguer International Airport and Herrera International Airport) conflict to his successor, Leonel Fernandez. The problem lies in that the airplane companies that fly out of Herrera will not accept the terms for their relocation to San Isidro, the military airbase. Furthermore, Aerodom is demanding a US$31-million restitution for investments made in Higuero and the FAA will not certify Higuero for international flights because of the risk of the area?s birds colliding with aircraft. Meanwhile, the contractors to whom Fernandez, in his previous administration, transferred the Herrera airport grounds will have to continue to wait. Fernandez began construction of the airport in 1999 despite experts criticizing the chosen site for the same reasons that make its operation unfeasible today. With yesterday?s decision, Mejia leaves without effect Decree 566-04 of 23 June, which provided for the closure of Herrera and the eviction of all airline operations from there, as of today?s date, 9 July 2004.
Meanwhile, El Caribe reports that the president of the Association of Airlines operating in Herrera, Omar Chahin Lama, says they are finishing up details of an agreement whereby they would relocate to the Higuero airport. He said they need four to five months to prepare the airport to receive flights, and they are optimistic that the Brazilian company?s plan to reconvert the Duquesa garbage dump into a landfill will be successful in reducing the number of birds in the area.
President Mejia said he is also leaving up to the next government the hot-potato issue of the crises in the power sector and the nation?s public hospitals, including the demands of physicians for a 100% increase in wages.