ROUTES AMERICAS: St Vincent Airport Privatisation Decision Expected Within Two Months

The decision as to whether the first international airport in St Vincent & the Grenadines will be state-run or privatised is expected to be made within the next two months, it has been revealed. Speaking during the Routes Americas conference in The Bahamas, Glen Beache, CEO of the St Vincents & the Grenadine’s Tourism Authority, said the government was mulling whether to put operation of the new airport out to tender or to run it directly.

“The government is going to decide in the next two months whether it is going to be privatised,” he said, adding “I think it should be privatised and that is the message I am putting forward to them.”

On track to be completed by November 2013, the new Argyle airport will have one terminal and will be capable of handling 1mppa and is expected to handle its first international flights in 2014. Funding has come from countries including Qatar, Venezuela, Cuba and Iran and Beache believes that private, foreign ownership would be the best way to develop the new gateway’s future route network.

“If you have someone who is experienced in this sort of management it helps you to attract the airlines. They have the network to attract international carriers and we have to take this into consideration,” he said. “The operators of Grantley Adams International Airport are doing a good job, the Portuguese also have a lot of good examples [of private ownership] out there, it is a matter of choosing the right one.”

Once completed, Argyle International Airport will be capable of handling aircraft up to the size of a Boeing 747. Scheduled to open in late 2013, it will replace the existing ET Joshua Airport and will offer direct international jet service from the US, Canada and Europe. The new airport’s terminal building ground breaking ceremony took place on August 7, 2011, where many Vincentians witnessed the symbolic start of the construction.

The earth and site works has involved an astounding removal of three mountains, filling two valleys, creating embankments, and spanning a river, all of which are work in progress. Currently in its foundation stage, the terminal building is contracted to a Taiwanese company, OECC, and is being funded by the government of Taiwan. Upon completion, the terminal building will contain a departure lounge, concessions area, rooftop restaurant, a conference center facility with a rooftop garden and vehicle parking.

“Three years into the construction of Argyle International Airport, the earthworks component which has so far dominated our attention, continues to progress steadily with clear evidence that we are moving closer and closer towards the completion of the international airport,” added Beache.

by Oliver Clark, Editor – Routes News