When attorney Llewellyn Boyer-Cartwright first called for the creation of a Bahamian international aircraft registry, he felt like the lone voice calling out in the forest.
Now it’s clear — Boyer-Cartwright’s voice was heard.
Twice in the last month, Prime Minister Perry Christie noted government’s intention to establish an international aircraft registry, most recently at the gathering of leaders in financial services and investments in Grand Bahama.
“When the Prime Minister spoke at the Bahamas International Investment Conference in Grand Bahama and mentioned the Bahamas Maritime Authority, Bahamas Yacht Registry and announced the Bahamas International Aviation Registry, it was very encouraging,” said Boyer-Cartwright. “The conference showed that this administration is very progressive, seriously looking for business solutions. That theme was reflected in remarks by the Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe and Minister of Financial Services Ryan Pinder among others. When the Prime Minister mentioned a Bahamas international aircraft registry, it was especially heartening because I believe it was the second time in as many months that the commitment to create a registry had been stated publicly and it was in front of such a prestigious audience.”
Boyer-Cartwright is quick to add that he was not the first to call for a registry. “The Bahamas Financial Services Board (BFSB), which is again active in the campaign, commissioned a review and presented a report to government in 1999,” he said. “That was 14 years ago.” But the idea never really took off.
In the years since the first presentation and Boyer-Cartwright’s renewal of the call gaining steam, the aviation industry has undergone dramatic changes with an explosion of private and corporate jet aircraft flying the skies, the type of aircraft he says would make up the bulk of the registry.
“Other jurisdictions are realizing the benefits an aircraft registry brings,” said the lawyer who packed his passion for aviation into a legal career specializing in aviation law and is now a partner at Callenders & Co. “Cayman, Bermuda, Isle of Man are all hugely successful and most recently BVI (British Virgin Islands) introduced additional legislation, expanding and strengthening its aircraft registry. These jurisdictions realize it adds another level of service for the high net worth individual, particularly when it comes to aircraft financing and insurance. Ironically, Boyer-Cartwright said, the prime minister’s remarks came almost exactly one year to the date after he went public with the call for a registry.
“I must say that the government was well aware of its potential and moved very quickly. The Ministry of Transport & Aviation under the Honourable Glenys Hanna-Martin appointed a consultative committee and that committee is actively meeting and preparing a report to be presented to government.”
Boyer-Cartwright and BFSB both serve on the committee along with various government representatives.
“I just wanted to commend the government and urge quick but careful movement because the competition is already making great inroads. It is important to get it right, to create an exceptionally high quality registry with stringent standards just as our ship registry is, but it is also critical to keep an eye on the competition,” said Boyer-Cartwright who leaves for an aviation conference to be held in Malta next week where he is due to meet with top industry authorities followed by a visit to the Isle of Man where he will meet with others in the aviation industry. Malta’s registry has shown dramatic growth recently, he said, and he is interested in exploring the reasons for its leap and sharing that information with the consultative committee.
Diane Phillips & Associates
Caption: Idea Nearing Approval for Take-off — Nearly one year to the day after attorney Llewellyn Boyer-Cartwright called for the establishment of a Bahamian international aircraft registry, Prime Minister Perry Christie confirmed government’s intention to create the registry during the recent Bahamas International Investment Conference in Grand Bahama. Boyer-Cartwright repeated the call, touting the benefits of a registry, whenever and wherever he could, including at the Abaco Business Outlook last fall. Boyer-Cartwright, a former commercial jet pilot, is now a partner at the law firm of Callenders & Co. (Photo, courtesy TCL)
