(from The Democrat: Sept 28 - Oct 4, 2002)
Premier Amory Enumerates Contributions
Charlestown Nevis (September 21, 2002) - At the opening ceremony for the new terminal building and renaming of the Newcastle International Airport on Thursday afternoon, Premier the Hon Mr Vance Amory, observed that Nevis was on the threshold of a bright new future and thanked all who contributed to make it a reality.
He paid tribute to the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development for the support it had rendered and �providing for us EC$10.4 million to underwrite a significant portion of the construction of this project and at a very concessionary rate of interest�... (and with) over 15 and 20 years of repayment time, it is almost as if they are giving us a gift.�
The final cost for the new state-of-the-art terminal building at Vance W Amory International Airport (renamed on Thursday after the Premier of Nevis) came to about EC$16 million, this with the addition of more security features now required for international travel following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the USA.
The Kuwait Fund was represented at the official opening by its Director of Operations Mr Fawzi Al-Hunaif, who said: �The completion of this project represents another important achievement of Nevis Government within its plans for the development of the island, particularly in the promotion of tourism industry by improving the passenger and aircraft facility at the airport.�
Premier Amory told the large gathering, which had turned out at Newcastle for the occasion: �The Federal Government (of St. Kitts and Nevis) must be mentioned, because they, as a sovereign responsibility for this island administration, had to give a guarantee for the loan (from the Kuwait Fund) to be approved.�
He also paid tribute to the persons who had sacrificed to allow the government to acquire land for the expansion of the airport, some of whom paid cash for the land. �I want to mention in that breath, the Douglas Yearwood family, especially Mr Douglas Yearwood,� said Premier Amory.
�In 1956, he (Mr Douglas Yearwood) committed the use of his land to the people of Nevis for use as a runway, at that time rudimentary, perhaps at that time not seeing what would be here today as we have transformed it. Without his initial commitment and contribution to the business of air travel, we would not have been here today,� commented Premier Amory.
Saying Nevis would still be struggling to move people by sea, and experiencing the hassles to ensure that the island had a high quality modern airport facility, he ended the tribute to the Yearwoods by saying: �I want to thank the Douglas Yearwood family who have contributed to this project and I am sure that they themselves feel proud that they have made that contribution to their homeland.�
Commenting on the honour bestowed upon him with the airport being renamed after him, Premier Amory told the gathering: �This is, in fact, an unexpected honour, which I may not have just deserved, but which has been conferred on me. I am very grateful that members of the Cabinet and other persons saw it fit to bestow this honour upon me, and I accept it on behalf of all the people of Nevis.�
He thanked the people of Nevis for the support they have given him over the years, alluding that it was that support which had been the galvanising force behind whatever he and the other ministers of government and the technical staff have achieved over the years. He explained that when a leader had the support of the people, it made his task of making decisions much easier knowing that the populace would support him.
Tourism Minister, the Hon Mr Malcolm Guishard, stated that it was not coincidental that the opening ceremony of the airport was held on Independence Day, September 19. �Indeed it is deliberate,� noted the Minister. �Independence symbolises maturity, responsibility and to a significant degree, individualism. Independence means that one is responsible to a large extent for determining one�s destiny.�
Minister for Physical Planning and Infrastructural Development, the Hon Mr Michael Perkins, under whose watch the terminal building was built, while introducing the Director of the Kuwait Fund, said that the Fund had come to the assistance of the Nevis Island Administration for the past six years, commenting: �We have formed very good and strong relationships with the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development.
