🚧 Double Standards, Deceit, and Delay: Who’s Really Trying to Stop Dominica’s Progress?

Dominica stands on the brink of a generational breakthrough. The construction of an international airport is more than a project — it’s a national milestone that promises to transform tourism, create jobs, and strengthen our connection to the world. Yet, amid this progress, a familiar voice has re-emerged with legal action, accusations, and objections.

On April 24, 2025, Eddison James, former Prime Minister and longtime figure in the United Workers Party (UWP), filed for an injunction against works being done on land owned by Celia Fadelle — land being used for the development of the international airport. His claims? Concerns about noise, dust, and environmental impact.

But here's where the hypocrisy is deafening.

In 1998, while in office, Eddison James himself was actively pursuing the acquisition of a quarry and heavy equipment in this same or similar area. His aim? To supply essential materials for an airport project his own government had planned. That quarry deal was not just strategic — it raised serious questions of insider trading and a clear conflict of interest.

Let’s call it what it is: how can a political leader advocate for a project while simultaneously positioning themselves to profit from it?

🛑 What Operating a Quarry Really Means

Quarry operations — especially for large-scale projects like an airport — come with significant environmental and community impacts:

Noise Pollution: Heavy blasting, drilling, and machinery operation can produce loud and sustained noise throughout the day.

Air Quality Issues: Dust generated from breaking rocks and transporting aggregate can spread for miles, affecting residents and crops.

Traffic and Road Damage: Dozens of heavy-duty trucks moving materials daily can severely damage road infrastructure, increase accident risks, and make life miserable for communities nearby.

Water Table Disruption: Quarrying can affect underground water sources, streams, and ecosystems.

Visual and Landscape Degradation: Hillsides are often left scarred for decades after quarrying ends.

So, when James now claims concern over noise and dust, the public has every right to ask: Were these not the same consequences he was prepared to unleash on nearby communities in 1998 — not for public good, but for personal gain?

⚖️ From Conflict of Interest to Political Malice

Fast-forward to today, and the same man is trying to block the very development he once sought to benefit from — now under a different administration. What changed? Certainly not the location, not the environmental impact, and not the public interest. The only thing that’s changed is who is in charge, and who gets the credit.

It’s a move that echoes the troubling legacy described in The Troubling Legacy of the UWP and Its Leadership, where political maneuvers have often stood in the way of real progress for Dominicans. Their pattern is clear: support development when it lines their pockets, oppose it when it threatens their narrative.

This isn’t about the environment. It’s not about public safety. It’s about malice, double standards, and a desperate attempt to remain relevant by sabotaging national growth.

🛫 Dominica Deserves Better

The airport project is not perfect, but it is essential. It is being built for Dominicans — for families, for entrepreneurs, for workers, and for our children. To stand in the way of this because of personal political bitterness is not just shameful — it’s anti-Dominican.

We as a people must see beyond the legal smoke screens and historical revisionism. We must demand consistency, honesty, and above all — progress. Dominica cannot be held hostage to the egos of yesterday’s politicians.

Let’s build this airport. Let’s build our economy. Let’s build our future.

And let’s not let the past keep trying to tear it down.