The Tribune

By FAY SIMMONS

TRIBUNE Business Reporter

jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

THE BAHAMAS is seeking to stem the outflow of millions of dollars in aircraft maintenance spending through establishing its first Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility, a Cabinet minister said yesterday.

Jobeth Coleby-Davis, minister of energy, utilities and aviation, said the Airport Authority and Civil Aviation Authority Bahamas are advancing discussions with Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) in the US to develop the first 14 CFR Part 145-certified MRO facility in The Bahamas.

Speaking during her second visit to MTSU, Mrs Coleby-Davis said the proposed facility will allow The Bahamas to retain aviation maintenance spending currently directed overseas, while creating opportunities for local employment and skills development.

“Today, we send our aircraft abroad for heavy maintenance, and millions of dollars leave The Bahamas,” she said. “With a Part 145 MRO at home, those jobs stay home. Those skills stay home. That money stays home. That is sovereignty.”

The proposed facility forms part of a broader push to expand The Bahamas’ aviation capabilities and develop a locally-trained workforce capable of supporting the sector's long-term growth.

Mrs Coleby-Davis said the initiative was among seven key points emerging from a joint task force established following her August 2026 visit to MTSU, when an amended memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the university and the Department of Aviation.

She said the task force, chaired by Dr Kenneth Romer, director of aviation, and comprising stakeholders from across the Bahamian aviation sector, MTSU and the University of The Bahamas, had met weekly for eight successive weeks to advance the commitments made during the initial visit.

Mrs Coleby-Davis described the second visit as a shift from exploration to execution, with the proposed MRO facility representing one of the key developments in the effort to position The Bahamas as a regional aviation hub.

The initiative is also intended to support the development of Bahamian aviation professionals, with the Government launching the Bahamas Aerospace Human-Capital Alliance (BAHA) during the visit.

Eighteen students are to receive study grants paid directly to MTSU under the programme, which Mrs Coleby-Davis said will help develop the next generation of aerospace talent. The students are expected to return to The Bahamas upon completing their studies and take up roles in the aviation sector.

The Government also launched the Aviation Professional Training Opportunities for Operational, Leadership and Skills (TOOLS) programme, which will identify two professionals from each of six aviation agencies for professional development opportunities at MTSU.

Mrs Coleby-Davis said the programmes were designed to strengthen both the future and existing aviation workforce, ranging from operational staff to leadership and administration.

The University of The Bahamas is also advancing plans to establish an Aerospace Department in partnership with MTSU and the Department of Aviation, with opportunities for dual enrolment and continuing education.

Under the proposed arrangement, students could begin their studies in Nassau and complete their degrees at MTSU, while aviation professionals in the Family Islands could pursue online continuing education certificates.

Mrs Coleby-Davis also announced the formalisation of a strategic partnership between The Bahamas and Nashville International Airport, which she said will strengthen co-operation between airport authorities, encourage the sharing of best practices and support air stopover growth.

The partnership comes ahead of Southwest Airlines' inaugural flight to Nassau, scheduled for June 5, 2027. Mrs Coleby-Davis said the Government will also explore broader investment opportunities in aviation, energy, utilities and education through discussions with the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce, describing the relationship as an emerging economic and educational corridor between The Bahamas and Tennessee.