The government’s failure to upgrade Family Island infrastructure and its inability to act quickly when investment opportunities have arisen has stalled economic development, The Tribune was told yesterday.
These failings were a primary factor in the presence of a stable growth for many Family Island economies.
In an interview with The Tribune, Kerry Fountain, director of the Out Island Promotions Board, said the development of Family Island airports so they could receive international tourist flights was key to the sector’s development. However, this had exposed inefficiencies within the public sector and the lack of a clear plan for forward growth and regional development.
An example of the Board’s concern is the situation with US Airways, which will shortly begin non-stop service from Charlotte to Treasure Cay.
Mr. Fountain said the Board had long been in discussions with the carrier concerning the Charlotte/Treasure Cay route. The airline required the airport facility to have both an x-ray machine and a magnetometer.
The machines required, however, would have taken up too much space within the Treasure Cay airport’s passenger lounge.
The lack of a clear direction in developing Abaco’s tourism industry became evident when the private sector volunteered to pay for a new airport terminal that could accommodate the equipment required by US Airways.
The government, though, decided not to give the necessary approvals, taking the approach that before anything could be done to upgrade the facility they needed to get the advice of consultants about the way forward for tourism on the island.
Source: Yolanda Deleveaux, The Tribune
