The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

The Minister of Transport & Aviation said yesterday that a company has been selected to advise on developing a Bahamian aircraft registry.

Glenys Hanna-Martin, during her contribution to the 2014-2015 Budget debate, said the work of a committee comprising public and private sector stakeholders has been completed, with subsequent recommendations for a consultant to develop the frameswork for the Registry.

“This comes as a result of an RFP process and the scrutiny of a number of respondents by the xommittee. In due course, the Bahamas will be poised for the creation of this new paradigm in its aviation profile,” said Mrs Hanna-Martin.

She added that talks have begin “in earnest” with the US on the issue of management of the Bahamas’ airspace via a Flight Information Region or (FIR).

“This is an historic and significant initiative, I believe, in the interest of the Bahamian people. These talks centre around the air traffic management of Bahamas’ air space and the fees collected for use of that air space, which are currently collected, managed and controlled by the United States FAA,” Mrs Hanna-Martin said.

“A follow-up meeting will take place in Washington in the next several weeks. It is my hope that the talks now underway will be favourable and fruitful, and that an acceptable accommodation is quickly reached between the two countries and for the benefit of the Bahamian people.”

Ministry of Transport officials and their counterparts from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) held “face-to-face” meetings on the issue for the first time in March.

The possibility to manage the country’s air space was raised during the former Christie administration’s 2002-2007 tenure.

A 2004 paper on the creation of the Bahamas Flight Information Region (FIR) said the Civil Aviation Department had proposed to install a new Nassau Area Control Centre (NACC) and associated air navigation systems in the Bahamas to permit it to retake control of its airspace, in a fully coordinated manner with neighbouring countries. “

We had commenced this process when we last served in 2002-2007, but the process was effectively abandoned by the previous administration despite the fact that at that stage the United States had actually already made a fee proposal. I believe we are back on track,” said Mrs Hanna-Martin.

Addressing Nassau Flight Services, the 100 per cent government-owned ground handling company operating at LPIA and San Salvador Airport, Mrs Hanna-Martin said: “This company, which employs some 235 persons, has now looked to the atate to inject funds to subsidise its operations.

“This is no doubt a matter of concern, but is the result of a number of negative factors prevailing over a period of years which I will not detail today. Suffice it to say that the company and the Board is working closely with the Ministry of Finance to seek to bring about an immediate reversal of this state of affairs through a number of strategies and new practices.

“I have had discussions with the [union] executives and intend to meet with the staff in the next few days to creative a sensitivity to this critical state of affairs, and I am confident that all stakeholders will work together to correct the path of this company.”