Free National Movement Deputy Chairman Anthony Musgrove said the government must move quickly to expand the Exuma Inter-national Airport before a major accident occurs.
He said the airport must be expanded to coincide with the growth of the island’s economy, due largely to the increasing number of high-end travellers who frequent the island for leisure or business.
On Sunday, there were reportedly about 30 aircraft parked at the airport, with 10 jets dropping off passengers and leaving. The majority of the visitors were attending United Technology Corporation Convention at the Four Seasons Resort at Emerald Bay.
“In a convention of that magnitude you should not have such a congested area,” said Mr Musgrove.
“There is a possibility that you could have an accident as a plane tries to pull out of the parking area.
“So that area needs to be expanded to make it safer for the residents as well as the international travellers.”
Mr Musgrove added that sometimes passengers on international flights such as American Airlines have to wait for long periods before takeoff, to allow for the arrival of Bahamasair and Sky Unlimited. “The length of the airstrip isn’t a problem. The terminal itself and the airport’s parking are not adequate. They both need to be expanded,” he said.
Prime Minister Perry Christie announced on Jan 27, during the opening of the $8.5 million Emerald Isle Shopping Centre, that the government would soon be sending a team of planners to Exuma to determine how best to expand and improve the airport’s infrastructure.
He explained that a stream of proposals for developments in Exuma, worth nearly $20 million, had come before the government.
The FNM deputy chairman’s call for an expanded Georgetown airport comes just months after its temporary international arrival lounge, which housed Bahamas Customs and Immigration, was mysteriously destroyed in an early morning fire. The burned lounge has since been replaced by another temporary facility.
Mr Musgrove further noted that failure to expand the airport would have a negative impact on the future growth of the island and in turn The Bahamas’ overall tourism product.
He suggested the need to establish an “Exuma Sustainable Development Initiative” to periodically bring together investors and representatives of both local and central governments to implement projects that would benefit all stakeholders.
“Imagine the impact we will have on Exuma if we are able to pool our resources as we work towards developing the jewels of The Bahamas,” he said.
By: MINDELL SMALL, Senior Reporter for The Nassau Guardian
