Clean up the Dump at Arnos Vale!

10.JUNE.11

Editor: It’s not what one might think, not the much speculated about ‘Super Chavez Airport’ they first promised for 2010, than 2011, 2012, now 2013, but most likely a ‘deja vu’ for 2015 Elections.{{more}}

No, we’re actually talking about our good old faithful Arnos Vale Airport. In fact, we prefer the name for obvious reasons as recently revealed.

Arnos Vale is not an airport, it’s a GARBAGE DUMP. Why would one say something like that? Well, for about three years, and for the fun of it (not so funny really) we make it our business to look at this airport so crucial to our Tourism Industry. What stands out at Arnos Vale are things like dirty doors and walls, broken window panes in the Departure Lounge and a badly scratched up door leading to it. (Doggies checking out, too?). Splintered, patched up glass doors in a room, covering for a cramped, combined

Checkout/Customs/Baggage ‘Lounge’, looking more like a poorly kept storeroom. It’s littered with stranded luggage, boxes, wheelchairs, leftovers of all sorts…spilled liquids, plastic bags etc, not to mention the holed baggage-roller and the outdated, peeling desks of the immigration officers (pics on file).

In the wash-rooms: leaking toilets, water puddles, malfunctioning faucets, chipped tiles. Of cause, no soap dispensers, no hygienic towels, dryer not working. The Departure Lounge offers no coffee-maker facility in order to help bridge the regular LIAT delays, the soft-drink machine out of commission since we know! Wouldn’t it be easy to bring these shortfalls in order?

With basics in such sorrow state, it is certainly too much to ask for things like modern decor, illuminated rotating posters, promotional state of the art info, let alone a professional tourism desk. In comparison to neighbouring islands where airports are spick-and-span, we lower our heads in shame.

So we building a monster airport and can’t even take care of the ones we possess? Boasting ministers of tourism; the former flying in and out like a bee (presumingly closing his eyes at Arnos Vale), the present one: “nobody is telling me what to do”?

For the sake of Tourism you are now being told: “Clean up the Dump at Arnos Vale!”

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