Pressure is mounting on the Keith Mitchell-led New National Party (NNP) government in Grenada to rename the Point Salines International Airport (PSIA) after the man who started it during his short reign between 1979-83.
The deputy political leader of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), George Prime has called on the Mitchell administration to  name the airport after former Prime Minister Maurice Bishop.
Prime, who is also an NDC candidate for Carriacou and Petite Martinique, said that with the island’s observance of the 34th anniversary of independence, it may be a good opportunity to announce the intention.
“We believe that the time has come, as this whole nation is moving towards genuine reconciliation and an understanding of its history, that the airport be named after the leader who perhaps did the most for its coming into being,” he remarked.
The NDC deputy leader noted that for the first time national honors will be announced during the Independence Day celebrations, and that this may be the right environment to make such a major announcement.
“There would be no greater honour for the legacy of Bishop than to name the airport after him,” he sad. “It is the one thing that is identified with his government.”
Prime also said such an announcement should come because of “the new tone of reconciliation sounded at the very beginning of the year” by the former Prime Minister’s daughter, Nadia Bishop.
“In that unconditional apology so eloquently done by Nadia on New Year ‘s Day, it has set the stage for such a major announcement, since it would have effectively cleared the way with people who had their reservations because they were hurt by his government,” he said.
“Naming the airport after Bishop is not saying that his government was flawless, for really no government is. But it is just an acknowledgement of what is still a major contribution to the economic life of the country,” he added.
Four-and-a-half years ago, the NDC announced its intention to name the airport after Bishop had it won the last general elections.
“There is no change of policy. That commitment still stands,” Prime said.
He said, however, that the current government could do well to take the partisanship out of it by announcing the intention during a national ceremony like Independence Day.
“It is time for the government to lead on the matter, and to show that it can join this new move at genuine reconciliation”, he added.
The airport was started under BishopŒs reign as Prime Minister of the left leaning People¹s Revolutionary Government (PRG) with substantial assistance from Cuba.
When Bishop was killed in a bloody palace coup on October 19, 1983, the U.S government sent in troops to topple the new coup leaders and pledged financial assistance to complete the project.
With help from Washington and Canada, the airport was opened in 1984 by then Governor-General, Sir Paul Scoon who was instrumental in setting up an Interim Administration to rule Grenada until democratic rule of law was restored later in the year.
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