KINGSTON, Jamaica — A new air traffic control tower is to be constructed at the Ian Fleming International Airport in Boscobel, St Mary.        

Minister of Transport and Mining Robert Montague made the disclosure during his recent contribution to the 2018/2019 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives.

The minister said discussions are at an early stage, and that it is part of the plan by the Airports Authority of Jamaica to expand and develop the airport with a view to attracting new business to the country.        

“The studies and the drawings are in train, and we will have to go through the necessary regulatory approvals,” he said.

“We are expanding the terminal building and we are increasing the marketing because we want to have not only private aircraft landing there, but also scheduled commercial flights. We are currently in discussion to have three established aircraft with scheduled flights into Ian Fleming, once the work has been completed,” the minister said.  

He argued that general aviation has to be expanded in Jamaica to create more opportunities and to bring more earnings to the country, adding that the airport, which has to date, only handled private aircraft, would now accommodate a combination of private and commercial carriers.

Ground was recently broken for the expansion of the terminal building and the runway, which will facilitate aircraft such as the R100, which carries up to 90 passengers.

The commercial airlines are expected to bring passengers from new gateways to the island.