Passenger flights to America from Manston planned

The county could become a gateway to the United States by next spring, Kent on Sunday can reveal. Negotiations are at advanced stages to operate passenger flights between Kent International Airport at Manston and Norfolk, Virginia, on the east coast of the US. Alex King, deputy leader of Kent County Council, told KoS:

"Although nothing is yet settled, we think there is a high probability that it will go ahead."

And he emphasised KCC was using no public subsidies to help the operation get off the ground. He added:

"I am hopeful that there will be flights to the US out of Kent and vice versa by the beginning of April or May next year."

Kent on Sunday 20th Feb 2006

Comments

[Gianfranco MAGRO]

It is alleged that we still live in a democratic country. The definition of democracy is "A Political system in which the supreme power lies in a body of citizens who can elect people to represent them". Further, democracy is also understood to be "A form of government for the people by the will of the majority of the people - based on the conception of the equality of man and woman".

Many things have been happening in recent years, especially in Kent, where decisions have been taken by those elected to represent us which have been in direct opposition to the will and to the interest of those who have elected such representatives.

A decision of such importance as the one which affects thousands of people in certain areas must be taken by the people living within those areas. There is no point in asking a person living outside of such areas - the ones affected from one of the flight paths - to cast a vote on such a question. Only those directly involved should make the decision. The answer, therefore, rests within a referendum of residents who will be directly involved by the flight paths of planes flying during the night hours.

Elected representatives, of all parties, must bear in mind that they are just that - representative who are there to carry out the will of those they represent.