The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

SKY Bahamas chief executive has urged the Government to formulate a strategic plan for the aviation industry, noting that the logistical and design issues plaguing the Leonard Thompson International Airport in Marsh Harbour highlighted the importance of proper oversight and regulations.

“If you don’t do that you will have more of what we see happening at Marsh Harbour,” Captain Randy Butler said. “We have seen these issues before; we have had enough time to learn from them. It’s unbelievable that in aviation, where you have so much regulation, that you would have the kind of things where the airport was not built to code, civil aviation not involved etc, and that is going to cost the taxpayers more money.

That speaks to the need for adequate laws, regulations and proper oversight. Had these things been in place`, what happened in Marsh Harbour would not have happened. They would not have been able to build that airport unless they would have met all of the requirements and international requirements as per our civil aviation. All of that would have had to come into civil aviation for approval, with technical people looking at it.”

Captain Butler added: “For the Government to recoup on that no,w it’s going to be much more expensive for us to operate there. Everything is connected. That’s why there needs to be a strategic plan for this industry. This is not a political issue because it’s our money, the taxpayers` money. This is the importance of having the laws and regulations and guidance material in place, and a strategic plan for the sector which fits into the national plan for the country. There needed to be uniformity in the system as a whole.”

The Minister of Aviation, Glenys Hanna-Martin, revealed in Parliament last week that the Marsh Harbour airport, first projected at $23.7 million, will cost the Government more than $10 million in overruns before it can be opened.

Included in that estimate are a $6 million runway extension, $3.8 million to build a freight building, $230,000 for that building’s architectural fees and $1.9 million in other architectural fees.

Ground was broken on September 1, 2011, under the Ingraham administratio, with a stated completion time of 10 months. Another completion date has not been set. FES Construction was contracted last year to build a new international terminal, an air traffic control tower and a fire crash rescue facility.