The Tribune

TWO senior lawyers are calling for the creation of a Bahamas aircraft registry, saying it could lead to a host of related businesses and industries. They said such a registry would create jobs, fuel economic diversity, potentially boost Family Island business and eventually generate multi-millions of dollars in revenue. "Discussions of a Bahamas aircraft registry have been going on and off for years," said Callenders & Co senior partner Colin Callender. "The establishment of a registry always seemed to be desirable, but distant. "Today, there is a heightened sense of readiness and urgency. Thus, we at Callenders & Co are willing to take the lead in driving the process for the creation of a Bahamas aircraft registry, without which we will continue to lose market share to other jurisdictions like Cayman and Aruba who are equipped to be one-stop-shops for high net worth individuals, and with which we can diversity the economy, create jobs and potentially create an entirely new industry." One of Callenders' senior associates, Llewellyn Boyer-Cartwright, a 29-year veteran commercial pilot and flight instructor, has married his airline and aviation training with his legal skills. In January, Mr Boyer-Cartwright became the first Bahamian to be admitted to the Lawyer Pilots Bar Association. He said the Bahamas is "perfectly situated" to create an aircraft registry. "Look at the success we have enjoyed with the Bahamas Maritime Registry. There were doubting Thomases when that was first proposed, but the income it has generated not just in fees but in related service industries with businesses like the Grand Bahama Shipyard and Bradford Marine has been substantial, far surpassing anyone's early expectations," he said. According to the pilot-turned-lawyer, a registry will serve multiple goals. "The first thing most people think of is satisfying the needs of high net worth individuals," said Mr Boyer-Cartwright, who joined Bahamasair at 19 and went on to certify on several Boeing models and fly for major international carriers. "The person who owns a mega-yacht he can now register in the Bahamas is likely to have a private aircraft, most likely a jet, that he'd like to register here as well and he may even own a second or third home. He wants to do all of his business with one firm and within one jurisdiction whose politics and policies, language and culture he understands. "However, if we are unable to meet those needs, we are in effect driving business to competing jurisdictions where they can be accommodated and by doing that we are potentially losing out on real estate transactions, vacation spend, indirect revenue and other investment opportunities." Business from high net worth individuals is only a small part of what both Callenders lawyers think an aircraft registry can bring to the Bahamas. Mr Boyer-Cartwright said: "A host of other related services unfolds - chartering, leasing, financing, provisioning, repair, airframe mechanics, power plant, avionics technicians. "I foresee a day when the Bahamas becomes a major regional hub for both airlines and general aviation and would even go so far as to predict that such a hub could exist on a large Family Island within fast ferry reach of New Providence, opening up hundreds of jobs. "Not everyone has to be a banker, lawyer or doctor to succeed. This could transform a Family Island from bust to boom and make it the surprise business story of the next decade."