Breaking the Binary
The Crisis
Why the current path is stalled — and why “For vs. Against” is the wrong framing for Dominica’s future.
What is happening?
The Government of Dominica is building a new international airport in Wesley, on the northeast coast. To construct the runway and taxiways to international aviation standards (ICAO), the project needs large quantities of basalt — a hard volcanic rock. The government chose to quarry this basalt from Deux Branches (pronounced “Duh-BRAHNS”), a site located near the Northern Forest Reserve.
The Case for the Quarry
- • Local basalt meets or exceeds the strict international standards required for airport runways.
- • Importing aggregate from abroad would be prohibitively expensive — the government calls it “economically absurd.”
- • Dominica’s debt-to-GDP ratio already exceeds 70%, leaving limited fiscal room for costlier alternatives.
- • A full ecological restoration plan is promised for after quarrying is complete.
- • Mitigation measures include sedimentation basins, retaining walls, and protective buffer zones.
The Case Against
- • Environmental groups describe the quarrying as “environmental genocide” threatening biodiversity and water systems.
- • Mud runoff has been reported in rivers downstream of the quarry, harming aquatic life.
- • The Northern Forest Reserve — home to the endangered Sisserou parrot — is at risk from nearby operations.
- • The Wesley Development Organization (WDO) cites a “lack of meaningful consultation” with affected communities.
- • Critics fear Dominica is “selling its birthright for a bowl of lentil soup” — trading irreplaceable ecology for short-term savings.
The Birthright Question
Think of it like a family garden that has fed your household for generations. Someone offers to mine the soil to pave a new road — which would bring visitors and business. But the garden can never grow back the same way. Is the road worth it? Or is there a way to get the road and keep the garden? That is the central question of this debate.
Key Events
2002
Physical Planning Act enacted — establishes the EIA framework for Dominica.
2020
Dominica ratifies the Escazú Agreement, becoming the 16th state party.
2024
Airport project accelerates; quarrying operations begin at Deux Branches.
Dec 2025
A Stop Order is issued, halting quarrying for judicial review after community protests.
2026
Debate continues. Government defends compliance; environmental groups push for alternatives.
The Bigger Picture
There is also a geopolitical dimension. Partnerships with international entities — including concerns about influence from countries like China — trigger debates about national sovereignty and long-term debt. With Caribbean nations already carrying heavy debt loads, the fiscal space for “responsible” but more expensive paths is very limited.
This platform does not take sides. It presents the facts and empowers citizens to evaluate the trade-offs for themselves — using the legal tools available under the Escazú Agreement.
Watch the Explainer
Dennis Augustine explains why there is a middle road
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