Dominica’s Melville Hall Airport has been renamed to the Douglas-Charles Airport in order to celebrate and recognise two of the island’s most outstanding compatriots.

Prime minister Roosevelt ‘Roosie’ Douglas died in October 2000, while former prime minister Pierre ‘Pierro’ Charles died in January 2004 but both dedicated their lives to improving the financial and economic situation in the country.

The current prime minster, Roosevelt Skerrit, said: “These two Dominicans demonstrated clearly what hard work, honesty, integrity, patriotism, dedication to a cause and love of a people regardless of their class race or political affiliation could do to transform a society.

“Let the memory of their dedication and sacrifice live on whenever we mention their names. Let us explain to our visitors the role that these two men played in our nation building and let us recall for our children and those yet unborn that these two men blazed a trail for others to follow and to achieve down the ages.

“Above all, let their names inspire us to do all we can to make our country prosperous, peaceful and just,” Skerrit concluded.
The main airport on the island dates back to 1944.