CABINET has approved a submission from the Ministry of Housing, Transport, Water and Works for an extension of the runway at the Norman Manley International Airport by some 300 metres.

The extension project is slated to cost US$10 million and will be financed under a capital development programme funded by the European Investment Bank.

Minister of Information and Development Senator Colin Campbell told Monday’s post-Cabinet press briefing that on completion the runway would meet new standards “declared by the International Civil Aviation Organisation”.

The standards should come into effect in 2008.

Responding to concerns raised about the probable environmental hazard of the project, which will extend to the Kingston Harbour, Campbell noted that an environmental impact assessment would be done.

“There have been consultations already between the Airports Authority and the Port Authority of Jamaica in relation to the whole use of that particular piece of the water and the whole operations of Kingston Harbour,” the minister said.