By the Caribbean Journal staff

A major redevelopment of Saint Lucia’s Hewanorra International Airport is moving forward, officials said this week.

The country’s parliament has voted to borrow $100 million for the project, whose plan is set to be unveiled in the coming days.

The project includes the construction of a new terminal building with state-of-the art facilities, restaurants, shops and executive lounges.

The existing terminal will be converted to accommodate fixed-base operators.

Saint Lucia.

“We have exhausted the current capacity of the Hewanorra International Airport, and the redevelopment project is part of our government’s broader plan to expand the island’s room stock by 50 percent in the next eight years,” said Saint Lucia Tourism Minister Dominic Fedee.

The loan is being financed by the Taiwanese government, which is also providing technical support on the project.

 “This is a welcome development and great news for the tourism industry. The SLTA continues to negotiate for more airlift into the island and having a new, modern airport to leverage with airline partners is a huge asset,” said Acting CEO of the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority Tiffany Howard.

Construction of the project is slated to begin early in 2019.

The goal is to have the facility fully operational by the end of 2020.

— CJ