The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

A leading Bahamian aviation executive said yesterday that while he supported “long overdue” civil aviation reforms, there was “a lack of foresight” in the Government’s approach to this sector.  

    Randy Butler, Sky Bahamas chief executive, said this nation was only now playing “catch-up” in its bid to comply with global industry watchdog, the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

The Civil Aviation Bill and accompanying regulations were passed in Parliament on Monday. The Bill creates a new supervisory entity, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Bahamas, separating the industry’s operational oversight from its regulatory functions. Family Island operations will be transferred to the Airport Authority in its Family Island division.

    “I think that while this Bill is a good thing and I support it, it lacks the foresight,” Captain Butler said. “We have to run and catch up to comply  with ICAO. While it is good, what’s the timeline to roll this out?

“It’s going to be a cost to the carriers to get in line with this. For us to change, it’s a cost. With all the new taxes and fees being applied to the sector, it is going to make it very prohibitive for Bahamians to get into this industry.

“The Government has to encourage the domestic carriers to get into the business. It is the domestic carriers that keep the islands going, those islands where Bahamasair doesn’t go.”

    Captain Butler added: “We have to determine where we are going and what are we doing with this industry. I do think the regulation is good, and hopefully we will be able to employ and  get some good Bahamians trained because in some of these places we do not have the expertise - or sufficient expertise - to deal with this.

“I support the Bill because the Bill is long overdue, and it brings the Bahamas in line with ICAO. If you’re going to put new regulations and modernise, that’s very good, but what about the people and the cost? Have those things been considered and fleshed out? I don’t think that the implementation, consultation, cost, effect was really considered.”