Dear Editor,

Your report of Butch Stewart’s recommendation to Government, with more to come, regarding the Ian Fleming Airport is exactly in keeping with why, as transport minister, I led the development charge of the airport against much on-the-ground political opposition and less than fulsome support from the wider visitor (tourism) stakeholders and investors, except for Golden Eye and the board of the Airports Authority.

The plan, which led to discussions with private jet owners and American Airlines, which I led, was meant to be part of this thrust. If the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) was still the Government, this would have been a centrepiece of our development plans for three parishes, and a part of the Multi-Modal Transport Plan using open skies and low-cost economy airlines as a base. Indeed, it must be evident that the whole Caribbean needs such a hub.

What is missing from Butch’s proposal is what else I would have been pursuing along the same line, which is a public/private investment policy for the Ian Fleming Airport, which formed part of the transport ministry’s and JLP’s corporatised (privatisation) plan.

It is especially interesting, as Butch also pointed out, that in the scheme of things, US$3 million is really small capital, considering what development growth it would produce; and as time is money, more so in the travel market, all the observations he made were salient.

I now await Butch’s thoughts and proposals on expanding aerodromes like Vernamfield so we can move to accommodate the dream liners and, using open skies, rely less on travel routes to the Caribbean via Europe and the USA, and more directly from the Far and Middle East, Africa and, in reverse, via South and Central America to the world at large. Indeed, we had such an interest from a South American airport operator.

In closing, I appeal to Mr ‘Butch’ Stewart, Mr Michael Lee-Chin and Mr Chris Blackwell, to name but a few stakeholders, to float an Ian Fleming Airport Development Bond; and have others, including the public, subscribe, including the Roman Catholic Archdiocese, which owns some of the land that is needed for the expansion of the airport’s runway.

It is also important to seek an airport operator to participate with the contractor who will do the extension. In the interest of Jamaica’s immediate need, we should do all this on a long-term return on investment on a 20-50-year basis. I think it can be done in 15 years.

Let me hope that this helps in showing how farsighted and long-term planning is key, and I commend Mr Stewart on grasping the original plans and intention of the development, which would be at a not insignificant cost to the taxpayers of the country, who now need the private sector inputs in hard currency.

L Michael Henry

Member of Parliament

Central Clarendon