The Airport Authority has made provision for an additional 1,000 parking spaces to the northwest of the U.S. departure lounge at the airport until Tuesday August 8.
According to Acting General Manager of The Airport Authority, Joseph Reckley, the extended parking lot will be fenced in, have extra lighting and have security persons monitoring the facility.
“It is only when we have special holidays or there are special holidays in the United States we see the need to provide additional parking,” he explained.
During normal travelling days the airport could accommodate up to 1,900 vehicles in its parking premises. However, when the travel period picks up, some persons tend to bend the rules, officials complained.
“We find that persons block persons in by parking directly behind them,” Mr. Reckley said. “When this happens we have to ask wreckers to move the vehicle and there is a charge. We also would like to remind persons not to park on the grass areas.”
Mr. Reckley also indicated that the airport would be introducing close circuit television (CCTV) coverage to strengthen its security system.
“That coverage is being manned 24 hours a day and reports are given as to any violation or to what is observed,” he said. “Those persons who notice any suspicious [activity] would notify the police.”
Vancouver Airport Services (YVRAS), a Canadian-based company has yet to sign a management contract with the government to oversee a $220 million transformation at the former Nassau International Airport. The runways have already been upgraded.
Although he classified the temporary extension of the airport parking as a small step, Mr. Reckley said he believes it is a move into the future.
“Basically everything that is coming on stream, we have to be able to accommodate,” he said. “We are looking into the future to provide some permanent parking facilities.”
By: Kendea Jones, The Bahama Journal
