NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Minister of Tourism and Aviation Dionisio D’Aguilar said the government will move with a “sense of urgency” to pass and implement new legislation to strengthen the aviation sector ahead of the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) audit of The Bahamas in November 2021.
The Bahamas received a “less than satisfactory result” of 32 of out 100 from an ICAO audit in November 2017, according to the minister, who noted the authority has worked assiduously over the last year to improve.
Eyewitness News reported on Monday that 50 aviation safety recommendations made by the Air Accident Investigation Authority (AAIA) to the Civil Aviation Authority (BCAA) of The Bahamas and Ministry of Tourism and Aviation dating back to 2017 remain open and unresolved.
“The first thing we have to do is introduce the legislation, and I think in my budget address I said we are going to repeal and replace the Civil Aviation Act 2016 and make some changes,” D’Aguilar told Eyewitness News.
“We are going to break off the Air Traffic Controllers and create a new authority because right now they are under the Civil Aviation Authority.
“You can’t have a regulator also having oversight or falling under their remit, an operator.
“So, civil aviation should be strictly a regulatory and oversight body.
He continued: “We have to get it passed and implemented, so we can demonstrate when they come back that we have done that, so there is a sense of urgency to get that done.”
He also noted the Civil Aviation Act provides for the establishment of an independent division known as the Bahamas Air Navigation Services (BANSD), which will become a standalone entity.
The minister said while there are financial considerations and limitations amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the government will make the necessary adjustments to improve the sector, including all safety aspects.
The AAIA safety recommendations stem from 10 aviation incidents dating back over the last three years and address specific safety deficiencies and corrective measures.
In many instances, the recommendations have not been responded to in accordance with the law.
Civil Aviation Authority of The Bahamas Director General Michael Allen told Eyewitness News the authority was undergoing a “comprehensive review and assessment” of its structures and procedures, which include giving “absolute priority to these matters that concern safety”.
