Montserrat will rename the existing Gerald's Airport as the John A. Osborne Airport to honor one of the island's longest-serving politicians. The renaming ceremony is set for July 11.
Osborne, at left, has served as chief minister and minister of finance and economic development for 17 years and has been part of the Legislative Council in Montserrat since 1968.
"Osborne has contributed immensely to the economic development of our island," said Ernestine Cassell, director of tourism. "Throughout his tenure as a politician and businessman, he has inspired growth and social well-being in Montserrat."
Following the volcanic eruptions in 1995 that destroyed Plymouth, the island's capital city, and the W. H. Bramble Airport, Montserrat could be reached only by helicopter or ferry.
With the 2005 opening of the new Gerald's Airport on the northeast coast, Montserrat was again accessible by regional airlines that linked the island with Antigua and St. Maarten.