By NATARIO McKENZIE
Tribune Business Reporter
nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net
A Bahamian airline executive yesterday said the Government should ask major Family Island investors to contribute to maintaining airports, arguing that it is challenged in meeting international standards.
Captain Randy Butler, Sky Bahamas chief executive, spoke out after it was revealed last week that flights from the US to Exuma International Airport had to be suspended for several days because the airport's fire engine was out of service.
The issue was highlighted by Exuma MP, Chester Cooper, who alleged that the economic impact of the closure would be in the "hundreds of millions of dollars" and adversely impact the island's tourism product".
Dionisio D'Aguilar, minister of tourism and aviation, said the problem was caused by years of neglect when it came to maintenance of the airport's fire truck. Tribune Business understands that the issue has since been resolved.
Captain Butler said that while domestic flights were not impacted, having an operable fire truck was a requirement outlined by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) to operate international flights. "My suggestion was that on these islands like Exuma, where you have major developers like Sandals, the Government should lease the airport, although the Government would continue to be involved by providing services such as Customs and Immigration," he explained. "The same could be done on San Salvador, where most of the activities revolve around Club Med. I believe that these developers would be glad to contribute to the upkeep of these airports. There is no way that the Bahamas government could maintain all of the airports across the country to international standards; you can't afford it."
Exuma investor Burton Rodgers, part of the group that recently acquired the Peace & Plenty resort, told Tribune Business: "From what I understand the issue has been dealt with. Certainly, there would have been an impact. "Tourism is Exuma's bread and butter, and anything that affects that is obviously going to have an impact on the local economy. I just hope that the necessary measures are put in place to ensure that we don't have this kind of thing happening again."
Comments
John 6 years, 5 months ago
The biggest problem government has is, while it is frittering away its major sources of income, like BTC and BPL, or watching them erode, like WSC and BoB, for example, its operating costs and costs associated with the government continues to increase. in other words while the pump is pouring water slower, the hole at the bottom of the bucket is getting bigger. Many businesses are facing the same dilemma because of the economy being so stagnant. They cannot grow their sales, but their operating costs continue to increase. So very few (exceptional) business may be in a position to help the government out.
sheeprunner12 6 years, 5 months ago
A PPP is the easiest way to get the Family Island infrastructure improved ........ but Bahamian governments like to use these projects to get political brownie points every 5 years.
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