The Tribune

By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrolle@tribunemedia.net

BLACK Point, a small settlement in Exuma with about 400 residents as of 2010, is poised for an infrastructure upgrade with a $17.9m airport expansion set to begin in September.

The government yesterday signed a contract with Abaco Aggregates and Cement under the Family Island Airport Renaissance Initiative. Once complete, the airport will feature a new 5,000ft long, 500ft wide hot mix asphalt runway built to International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards. The existing 2,800 ft runway will be nearly doubled in length.

In addition to the new runway, the redevelopment will include a 100-foot-wide landing strip, a new apron, solar lighting, runway striping, and a secure perimeter fence. The upgrades will allow the airport to accommodate Bahamasair’s ATR 72-600 aircraft and similarly sized regional jets, significantly enhancing airlift to and from the island.

Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper, MP for Exuma, called the project the largest single investment ever made in Black Point. The development is expected to improve flight reliability, strengthen emergency response, and streamline the transport of goods and services to the community.

Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said the airport will also feature a new terminal capable of handling more than 70 passengers, equipped with modern navigational aids to enable night operations. He emphasised that the project will help connect residents more easily with loved ones and support increased commercial travel and emergency air access.

“I am not exaggerating when I state that we are pursuing the most aggressive development of airport infrastructure in our nation’s history,” Mr Davis said. “It’s overdue, so we’re making it happen now. We’re doing it in Eleuthera, Bimini, Cat Island, Long Island, Exuma, and the Abacos.”

Minister of Works Clay Sweeting said the Exuma community would benefit directly from improved air travel reliability and economic growth.

Abaco Aggregates and Cement president Kino Simmons confirmed that the project’s timeline is approximately 12 months. Sixty Bahamians are currently involved in the works, which will also involve local subcontractors.