by Mervin Matthew,
Government Information Service
Venezuelan Airline Company, Conviasa, landed at the Melville Hall Airport on Thursday, 18th, August, 2011. The flight marks the resumption of the airline’s operations out of the Melville Hall Airport.
Venezuela’s Ambassador to Dominica, H.E. Carmen Martinez de Grijalva, welcomed the visiting delegation from Venezuela who later met with Hon Tourism Minister Ian Douglas and Hon Public Works Minister Rayburn Blackmoore.
“I think this is a wonderful opportunity, not only for Conviasa. It is a wonderful opportunity for the Dominican people also because the presence of Conviasa in Dominica represents a very good opportunity for development, commerce and relationship tourism, especially for Dominica.”
 Venezuela’s Ambassador
to Dominica, H.E.
Carmen Martinez de Grijalva
Director of Ground Handlers Ltd, Damian Aird, used the opportunity to encourage nationals to use Conviasa as the number one choice for travel to Venezuela. He encouraged Dominicans to take advantage of this airline to travel to Venezuela as Venezuela is a country with a lot to offer and a great vacation spot. He also suggested that Conviasa add St. Lucia to its itinerary as a perfect travel option for Dominicans.
Hon Minister for Public Works, Energy and Ports, Rayburn Blackmoore, believes the resumption of flights from the Melville Hall Airport will result in greater connectivity between Dominica and Venezuela and other Latin American countries.
“The Government of Dominica is happy to have the re-introduction of your airline into our shores providing a critical connection to and from Venezuela, Grenada, St. Vincent arriving in Dominica at 6:05. The Ministry of Public Works, Energy and Ports and the Government of Dominica is looking forward to go beyond the issuance of a temporary license for one month which we now have to the issuance of a three year license once the application is made.”
 President of Conviasa,
Colonel Jesus Vinas
President of Conviasa, Colonel Jesus Vinas, assured nationals that there is no intention by the company to disrupt its operations into Dominica in the future.
“Conviasa is meant to be a tool for integration. We cannot integrate our people if we do not have the means to see and touch each other and we needed such a tool. Conviasa was coming here for three years. We stopped in September of last year but we are back now here today and we plan to never stop again.”
Hon Tourism Minister, Ian Douglas, is hopeful that the resumption of services will result in the recommencement of the social tourism programme.
“All of our stakeholders in the tourism industry in Dominica were very happy to receive our brothers and sisters from Venezuela. The cultural exchanges that we shared together while the programme was on and the experience of our Venezuelan brothers in Dominica in the Nature Island were beneficial to both our peoples. We hope that with the resumption of the Conviasa airlines we can re-establish the social tourism programme and we can re-establish all the other stages of the programme. That was the desire of President Hugo Chavez.” |
