The Tribune

By YOURI KEMP

Tribune Business Reporter

ykemp@tribunemedia.net

The bidding process to select a contractor to build Long Island's new international airport, which will have runway 2,000 feet longer than the present version, will be launched by January 2021 at latest.

Adrian Gibson, Long Island's MP, told the Long Island Business Outlook webinar that the island has long "desperately needed an international airport that could cater to large local and international aircraft, and direct flights from North America, South America, etc, much like San Salvador, Eluethera, Exuma and Abaco.

"The lack of airlift has held Long Island back," he added. "An international airport would greatly assist in the expansion of our tourism product. The airport, quite honestly, is the catalyst for Long Island's growth.

“The new international hub would represent the turnaround. The economy of Long Island desperately needs the international airport. Its construction would lead to an economic boom on Long Island, with construction activity likely picking up, new spin-off businesses, with top companies, restaurants, the bars, the shore and ground vendors, the fishing all taking off.

"This is the stimulus that the Long Island economy needs. I am pleased to note that architectural drawings, a survey plan and addenda documents are being drawn for the construction of a new $18m international airport. The tender for the new airport is expected to be published in December 2020 or January 2021, and the construction of the new airport is expected to begin early next year.”

Algernon Cargill, the Ministry of Tourism and Aviation's director of aviation, said there were many airports still "1,000 percent better than what we have in Deadman’s Cay. You all know that the runway is currently not long enough to accommodate direct flights internationally from North America, and that's one of the major improvements we're doing".

He added: “The Department of Aviation has undertaken a survey by a land surveyor to identify the land that the Government needs in order to expand the airport. This survey is completed.

“When the government moves to finalise the land acquisition, you will all be notified about the process, and certainly the process of compensation. So you can see quite a lot of land, over 400 acres, will be acquired for the Long Island International Airport at Deadman’s Cay.

"The airport is split into two separate projects. One is the air side, and when we say air side, we refer to the runway and the aprons.... anything that's not the building. Our design aircraft is the Embraer 190 that can accommodate approximately 100 passengers. This is the the regional jet that American Eagle, for example, fly all across North America," Mr Cargill said.

"The current runway is 4,000 feet, and our goal is to expand the runway to 6,008 feet rather than 6,500 feet, and increase the width to 100 feet. This project has an estimated budget for the air side only of $10.1m, and it will be going out to tender by the end of December 2020."