An arson attack targeting construction vehicles at the site of Dominica’s flagship international airport project in Wesley has triggered a swift official response, with two people now in police custody assisting with ongoing investigations, the country’s Minister for National Security Rayburn Blackmoore has publicly confirmed.
The incident unfolded earlier this week, when three heavy trucks owned by Chinese contractors working on the infrastructure development were deliberately set on fire. Blackmoore made the confirmation during a live radio interview on DBS Radio Thursday morning, where he emphasized the gravity of the attack against a project framed as transformative for the Caribbean nation.
“I cannot speak as to the motive of whoever did that. That is for the police to investigate. But what I have been advised is that two people in custody assisting the police with this investigation,” Blackmoore stated during the interview. “It is critically important therefore for the people who are responsible to be arrested and of course for there to be a due process.”
The minister issued a firm condemnation of the arson, labeling the action an unambiguously criminal act that does not reflect the views or values of the Dominican public, especially people living in the nearby communities of Wesley and Woodford Hill. He pushed back against any framing that would cast the attack as a targeted action against the Chinese construction partners, noting instead that it was an attack on the entire nation of Dominica.
“This is certainly not an act against the Chinese contracting team, CR5 or MMC. This is a criminal act against Dominica, against all of us, perpetrated by criminal vagabond elements who must be pursued in the highest degree of intensity by the police,” Blackmoore said.
He took the opportunity to clarify that local communities surrounding the airport construction zone have maintained a consistently welcoming and supportive stance toward both local and international workers on the project. “Residents of both communities have been very embracing to the employees of the international airport and are supportive of the project itself,” he added.
Beyond addressing the arson incident, Blackmoore underlined the outsized historical and economic importance of the international airport project, describing it as a landmark national achievement that has been generations in the making. He also recognized the longstanding partnership between Dominica and the People’s Republic of China, noting that China has consistently stood with Dominica through periods of crisis, and called on local citizens to continue upholding a spirit of goodwill toward the project’s foreign workers. He urged community members to cooperate with law enforcement to help identify the remaining perpetrators. “Let us make them feel welcome and let us together make sure that we do everything possible to assist the police to identify those vagabonds, these criminals,” he said.
The interview also touched on separate recent weather-related disaster impacts in the Kalinago Territory, where five homes were completely destroyed and 18 households have been displaced or affected by recent extreme weather. Blackmoore gave assurances that the government will bring in independent, specialist experts in hydrology, geology, and engineering to conduct comprehensive risk assessments of the affected area, and develop evidence-based recommendations to protect at-risk local communities moving forward.
Closing out the interview, Blackmoore reaffirmed the international airport’s central role as a foundational pillar of Dominica’s long-term economic growth and prosperity. “This ought to be a proud moment for us. We are building this airport that generations 60 years ago only dreamed about. It is critical for the survival of our country and for generations to come,” he said.