By KHRISNA VIRGIL
kvirgil@tribunemedia.net
A STATUE of the late Sir Lynden Pindling will be raised at the international airport to mark the completion of the facility and the country's 40th year of independence, Minister of Transport and Aviation Glenys Hanna-Martin announced yesterday.
The Minister did not give a specific date of the monument's installation or its cost to taxpayers.
Sir Lynden led the Progressive Liberal Party from 1965 until he left frontline politics in 1997. He died on August 26, 2000.
Mrs Hanna-Martin made the announcement as newly elected Cabinet ministers toured the facility for the first time and assessed the progress of the Lynden Pindling International Airport's phase two of construction.
She said: "The government will, by the time as this airport facility is concluded – but within the celebration of the 40th anniversary of our independence – erect and unveil a physical embodiment of Lynden Pindling somewhere at a strategic point at this airport to finalise the whole conception which began with our Prime Minister (and) his focus, concentrated, (and) disciplined approach.
"He was very sensitive to all the nuances that were involved in this issue. The airport has many issues and many dimensions and he was cognisant of all those dimensions. He brought that to the table, with tremendous energy and what you see unfolding is symbolic of what he set out to do."
The construction of the LPIA has been split into three phases, and has a total build-out valued at $409.5 million.
Phase two of the airport will include the completion of the international and US departure gates and the international arrivals terminal. As it stands, NAD officials said the project is 75 per cent complete, on schedule, and within budget. Officials expect this phase to be opened and operational in October of this year.
The second phase has four retail locations, four restaurants, bars and lounges, and six hotel reception lobbies.
Nassau Airport Development Company (NAD) President and CEO Stewart Steeves said the finished product will facilitate an increase in passengers per year from three million to five million.
The capacity for large aircraft will also increase, Mr Steeves said.
NAD, in April 2007 signed a 30-year-lease with the government to manage the daily operation of LPIA. The company is responsible for most of the physical infrastructure at the airport which includes parking lots, terminal runways and taxiways.
Phase three began last month and is slated to be completed in the Fall of 2013.
Comments
citizenwatchdog 12 years, 5 months ago
You neglected to mention that Lynden Pindling was the leader of the nation from 1967 - 1992. That might be important considering that all Bahamians will be using the airport regardless of party affiliation. There is a divisive politics at play in the framing of this article. It is almost as if to say this is "a PLP thing" and not of symbolic importance to all Bahamian people (and visitors alike).
concernedcitizen 12 years, 5 months ago
THE FUNNY THING THEY COULD NEVER GET THE AIRPORT STARTED ,THEY HAD GIVEN B ROBERTS A 25 YR CONTRACT FOR THE FOOD CONCESSIONS ,AND HE WANTED BIG MONEY TO GIVE IT UP ,,REMEMBER THAT SLOP FOOD UP IN THE INTERNATIONAL DEPATURE ,,THAT WAS OUR GUEST FINAL IMPRESSION OF US ,,WHAT TOURIST KNOW BOUT SAUSAGE AND GRITS AND GREASY AT THAT
PKMShack 12 years, 5 months ago
Thank you to the FNM for starting to build a world clas airport.
concernedcitizen 12 years, 5 months ago
THANKS FNM
Concerned 12 years, 5 months ago
Why is a statue of Sir Lynden necessary? 1. The airport already has his name on it? 2. There is already a large plaque with his name and importance on it, posted in the airport 3. There is a large sign at the entrance of the airport that every person coming and leaving the airport will see. It appears like overkill to me - guilt or retributive tribute. This is NOT an national decision, is plain political greed to prey off the grassroot supporters'. The national decision was in the naming of the airport after Sir Lynden. Anything commemorative after that is a personal decision.
dahasamo 12 years, 5 months ago
Bahamians have short and selective memories. It can only be described as ironic that the man responsible for the greatest aviation debacle in the history of aviation can not only have the airport bear his name, but now to have a statue?
In october 1970 the Swire Group (of Cathay Pacific fame) who were well on the way to enhancing aviation in this country at no expense to the Bahamian taxpayer, packed up their georgie bundle and left 900 people unemployed. One half a billion Bahamasair dollars later, the fault for this can be laid squarely at the feet of Sir Lynden.
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