Government to maintain status quo on Nassau Flight Services

Government to maintain status quo on Nassau Flight Services
Minister of Tourism Dionisio D'Aguilar speaks to reporters outside the Churchill Building (file photo).

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – The government has decided to ‘maintain the status quo’, in deciding against the privatization of Nassau Flight Services at this time, Tourism Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar said yesterday.

“The government decided that it just didn’t want to privatize Nassau Flight Services at this time,” D’Aguilar said.

“When the government considers what to do with its national assets it can either sell it or enter into a public private partnership. With every project that we look, those are the choices that we have. In this instance the government decided to maintain the status quo. We felt that that was the right decision at this time.”

D’Aguilar declined to comment on the government’s rationale for the decision to halt the sale of the state-owned ground handling services provider .

He has previously stated Nassau Flight Services’ annual $8m revenues place it well within the range of the Bahamian investor groups targeted by the Minnis administration, adding only Bahamians need apply for the ground handling services provider’s takeover.

While he would not comment on the reasoning for Cabinet’s decision, Eyewitness News understands that there were concerns that a new operator would have to slash Nassau Flight Services’ 200-plus member workforce.