The major redevelopment initiative for Hewanorra International Airport continues to advance on schedule, with St. Lucia’s Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre sharing key milestone updates during his official 2026/2027 Budget address earlier this week. Among the most critical infrastructure components of the multi-phase upgrade, construction of a brand-new air traffic control tower has crossed the halfway completion mark, standing at 52 percent finished as of the budget presentation. Prime Minister Pierre confirmed that the project remains on track for full completion of the control tower by the end of the current calendar year.
Beyond the control tower works, the Prime Minister outlined the next major phase of the redevelopment: the construction of a reimagined terminal building. To ensure transparency, competitive pricing, and global expertise, the government launched an international open tender process to select a qualified construction contractor for the high-profile terminal project. According to Pierre, the tender window closed on November 30, 2025, with a total of seven formal bids submitted by international and regional construction firms.
After an initial rigorous technical evaluation to assess each bidder’s experience, operational capacity, and ability to meet the project’s strict design and safety standards, three shortlisted firms have moved forward to the final financial bid submission stage. The Prime Minister told stakeholders that evaluation of the competing financial proposals is currently ongoing. Once the assessment process concludes, a winning contractor will be appointed, and physical construction work on the new terminal is scheduled to break ground before the end of 2026. This large-scale airport upgrade is expected to boost St. Lucia’s tourism capacity, improve air travel safety, and support long-term economic growth in the island nation.