IN a world so entranced by the allure of fast-paced metropolitan lifestyles, there are far too many stories that remain untold, far too many countries that remain unknown. From a global development standpoint, there is no doubt that the scales are unevenly weighted against small nation-states such as Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

Kingstown, the capital city of this 32-island archipelago of tiny islands and cays is neatly triangulated 100 miles west of Barbados, 24 miles south of St Lucia and 80 miles north of Grenada.

These three neighbouring territories have, for the most part, achieved sustained international acclaim: Barbados through its world-renowned tourism product, and being home to pop music superstar Rihanna; St Lucia, through its Nobel laureates Dereck Walcott and Sir Arthur Lewis; and Grenada through track and field sensation and World 400m champion, Kirani James.

There is no doubt that Saint Vincent and the Grenadines has also had its share of international acclaim over the years. However, whether through the legacy of its legendary jazz trumpeter Ellsworth ‘Shake’ Keane of the Joe Harriott Quintet, the contemporary musical exploits of musician Kevin Lyttle of Turn Me On fame, or the frequent visits of members of the British Royal family to the glamorous Grenadine island of Mustique, the world is yet to offer this exotic assemblage of islands and cays its sustained attention.

In August 2008, construction officially commenced on the country’s first international airport. The Argyle International Airport is an ambitious multimillion-dollar project that is expected to significantly improve the country’s economic outlook. This decision was prompted by the current administration’s uneasiness with the country’s persistent isolation from key international markets, and the urgent need to stimulate increased inflows of foreign-direct investment.

With a comparatively high unemployment rate, low wages and repressed foreign direct investment inflows, there is no doubt that Saint Vincent and the Grenadines’ economy is in dire need of resuscitation. Compounding these economic woes, is the fact that between October 2010 and December 2013, the country’s economy has been rattled by the impact of extensive flooding, storm surges, heavy rains, and gale-force winds that have resulted in damages in excess of US$120 million — an exorbitant sum for a country whose GDP, according to 2012 World Bank estimates, stood at a mere US$713 million.

It is anticipated that the country’s new international airport would pave the way for an unprecedented economic recovery, and thus a realignment with the ruling Unity Labour Party Government’s national sustainable development agenda. However, numerous debates have emerged within the local political arena on matters regarding the cost and sustainability of the project.

The country’s parliamentary Opposition and its supporters have consistently and unanimously argued that with a population of just about 110,000, the country is in no need of a facility the size of the Argyle International Airport, nor an investment to the tune of that obligated.

The project’s original price tag was stamped at approximately US$180 million, and was scheduled for completion in 2011. New projections now point to a total in excess of US$240 million, and the project is now scheduled for completion in December 2014. The cost overrun and rescheduling — according to the country’s Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves — were primarily due to the unscheduled acquisition of additional lands at the construction site and the increased cost of construction materials.

The Government’s overall approach to what has proven itself to be the country’s largest capital project to date, has been nothing short of unorthodox. The Ralph Gonsalves-led Administration seems to have rewritten all the rules on large-scale fund-raising in small economies, with a robust foreign policy that has intimately engaged “friendly governments” in this impressive project.

Unfortunately for the Government and people of this striving multi-island state, several key prospective donor governments have fallen short on their original commitments to the project, and the state has been forced to secure alternative sources of funding — both internally and through loans, albeit concessionary.

By virtue of the scale of this project, the country’s potential imminent and long-term challenges are in no way restricted to local economic conditions and foreign policy relations. The level of uncertainty that has shrouded the global economy compels local policy makers to move quickly and astutely on improving the country’s investment potential, while securing the requisite foreign direct investment in order to optimise the investment made in the Argyle International Airport.

Recent global developments suggest that the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) World Economic Outlook may for small states such as Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, inopportunely constitute little more than mere — and potentially misplaced — guesstimates of prospective future global economic performance. The fact remains, there are far more questions than answers – an unsettling truth that is in no way restricted to the IMF, but encircles every other key actor in the concert of the global economy.

Of principal importance to policymakers in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, is the fact that this uncertainty is likely to persist for an unspecified but potentially prolonged period — particularly in light of increasing instances of diverse challenges in nearly every corner of the world.

With foreign direct investment projected to be a key driver in the country’s future growth dynamics, this increases the complexity of its already unsolved marketing equation. Local policymakers are nonetheless compelled to find solutions, and to find them quickly. The opportunities are undoubtedly out there, and small states like Saint Vincent and the Grenadines must be adequately positioned to capture these amidst unrelenting global competition.

There is no doubt that once operational, the Argyle International Airport could potentially signal an end to the country’s persistent isolation from key international markets — particularly in Europe and North America; and for the first time, local government and business officials would be in a position to realistically pursue the emerging markets of Africa, Latin America and the OECD-proclaimed “Emerging Asia”.

The country’s Tourism Authority has since its establishment in 2009 worked tirelessly towards developing a competitive local tourism product. They would most certainly be banking on the prompt commencement of operations at this magnificent facility to offer a much-needed boost to their efforts.

The airport is expected to facilitate an increased inflow of foreign direct investment into key local sectors and industries, and may even prompt the emergence of new industries and value chains on locally produced goods. It is also expected to facilitate greater ease of inter-regional business operations. Such convenience has quite notably become a prerequisite for investors seeking new and non-traditional markets and investment opportunities.

The commencement of operations at the Argyle International Airport would significantly reduce the cost and time of international travel, with direct flights from key destinations. The potential benefits of this momentous development for a nation that has for decades been plagued with what many have deemed an unreliable regional air transportation system are far too numerous to mention.

So in a world clearly entranced by the allure of fast-paced metropolitan lifestyles, let us remember the story of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, while acknowledging the determination of the people of this tiny Eastern Caribbean nation. For amidst isolation and persistent economic challenges, they have maintained their resolve, and for that, their future looks so much brighter.

Jamal Browne is an International land consultant and freelance writer. jaavbrowne@gmail.com