NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Tourism Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar said yesterday that funding has been secured for the public-private partnership (PPP) that will bring about the redevelopment of several Family Island airports.
While addressing Parliament yesterday, D’Aguilar said: “Our Family Island airports need hundreds of millions of dollars in investment money which, in a good year, was hard to find in the overstretched capital works budget.
“The Department of Aviation will utilize funding already in place from the IDB and secure the necessary additional funding via a public-private partnership to ensure these projects are able to be realized. This additional funding has been secured for the PPP projects from a local financial institution.”
Highlighting the progress of several Family Island airport redevelopment projects, D’Aguilar noted that Exuma International Airport has been designed and the government is in the final stages of approving a contract for a Bahamian firm to build a new terminal at the existing airport site.
“I am advised that we should be breaking ground on this terminal building within the next 90 days and have engaged a best-in-class airport consulting firm that specializes in Aviation PPPs to identify the best partner for the management and operation of this Exuma International Airport project while under construction and once it is completed,” said D’Aguilar.
He added: “Once the contract for the new terminal has been awarded, attention will be turned to the air side works, new runways and taxiways necessary to accommodate large aircraft and increased traffic.”
He further noted that the government has engaged a local architect to design the new Long Island International Airport at Deadman’s Cay.
“The designs are finalized and we expect to break ground on this new airport by the end of second quarter of 2021,” said D’Aguilar.
“The project specifications include a new 25,000 square-foot terminal and fire station and a new 6,500-foot runway since this airport is being designed to accommodate regional jets from North America so that, for the first time, Long Islanders can have regularly scheduled direct flights from North America and or the Caribbean.”
He also noted that the new airport in Great Harbour Cay, Berry Islands, is currently under construction and approximately 70 percent complete. That project involves a new 9,500 square-foot terminal building and 4,600 feet of new runway. This project is expected to be completed within the next six months and be ready for occupancy shortly thereafter.
“We have committed $3 million in the repairs to Leonard Thompson  International Airport, inclusive of $1.5 million in post-Dorian construction repairs, $500,000 in air conditioning repairs, $300,000 in mold remediation work and $420,000 in replacement lighting, all a result of Hurricane Dorian,” said D’Aguilar.
He noted that the Department of Aviation and the Project Implementation Unit attached to the Ministry of Public Works are developing a project to rebuild Treasure Cay Airport through the $1.7 million facility available from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). The project will commence as soon as project details have been approved by the IDB.
Regarding the North Eleuthera airport, D’Aguilar added: “We have not forgotten North Eleuthera. Funding has been secured through the IDB and the PPP for this huge project.
“The government intends to duplicate the Exuma design in North Eleuthera and construct an entirely new runway to accommodate larger aircraft and increased traffic.”
The government is very close to acquiring Grand Bahama International Airport from Hutchinson Ports and then will engage consultants on how to redevelop that airport, according to the aviation minister.
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