SPECIAL Adviser to the prime minister Christopher Zacca has been appointed by the Government to chair a committee responsible for the divestment of the Norman Manley International Airport (NMIA).

Minister of Information Daryl Vaz made the announcement at a specially convened meeting at Vale Royale last week for media owners and practitioners. At the end of last year, Prime Minister Bruce Golding announced: “We have taken a decision at Cabinet to appoint a team to pursue the privatisation of the Norman Manley International Airport. The method that was used for the Sangster International Airport was a good method and we intend to pursue that.”

Zacca began his role as Special Adviser to the prime minister in October 2009. Part of his responsibilities includes the provision of analytical support and co-ordination of major projects, proposals and development strategies working in collaboration with the relevant government agencies.

Speaking with Business Observer from Kingston, Zacca said: “The Cabinet has appointed a special enterprise team which will oversee the divestment of NMIA of which I will serve as chairman. It will be based at the Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ) and will hold its first meeting in two weeks time.”

The team comprises: Dennis Morgan, a representative of the Airports Authority; the president of Jampro, Sancia Bennett-Templer (who played an instrumental role in the divestment of Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay); a representative from the Solicitor General’s Department; Chairman of the DBJ, Joseph M Matalon; a representative of the Ministry of Transport with William Shagoury serving as deputy chairman.

Zacca brings a wealth of experience to this new position, serving as a former CEO of Air Jamaica, past president of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica and deputy chairman of the Appliance Traders Limited Group of Companies.

He noted that the NMIA had made a marked improvement and the aim is to transform it to a more efficient operation that generates revenues.

“The brief we have been given is to divest NMIA as soon as possible,” said Zacca.

Business Observer has learnt that a number of airport operators have already expressed an interest, including one from South America.

A contract relating to the upgrade of NMIA which forms part of a masterplan to increase its capacity to cater for projected air and passenger traffic at an acceptable level of service to the year 2023, went to Keir Construction and is valued at US$161.5 million. The project will be implemented in three phases (1A, 1B and 2).