A new $30 million Operation Bahamas, Turks and Caicos (OPBAT) hangar is being constructed at Inagua, officials from the United States and The Bahamas revealed yesterday.
The old hangar was destroyed by Hurricane Ike in 2008.
Requests for proposals for the project were sent out October 14, and they could be returned by the end of the month, Minister of National Security Tommy Turnquest told The Nassau Guardian.
According to U.S. Ambassador Nicole Avant, the same year the old hangar was destroyed, the Bush administration began negotiations with The Bahamas for a lease agreement to facilitate the development of a new hangar.
“As many of you are aware, Prime Minister (Hubert) Ingraham proposed improving the island of Great Inagua’s infrastructure during a 2008 meeting with former President (George) Bush,” she said.
“This year we took a major step towards realizing that goal with the signing of a lease agreement between the United States and The Bahamas. This agreement will allow the United States Coast Guard to move forward with the construction of a new $30 million hangar facility on Great Inagua to replace the old OPBAT hangar destroyed by Hurricane Ike in 2008.”
Turnquest said the construction time for the hangar is two-and-a-half years.
Read the entire article by Chester Robards in the Nassau Guardian.
