Just over a month after the government signed a $2.3 million contract with Canadian firm Carmanah Technologies to install solar powered runway lights at 16 government airports throughout the country, the minister of transport and aviation said recently the installation at the first airport is expected to take place before the end of the month.
Minister Glenys Hanna-Martin said the installation project experienced delays because the shipping schedule had been thrown off due to bad weather recently.
“The first airport is going to be in Spring Point, Acklins and we anticipate the works will begin by the end of this month,” Minister Hanna-Martin said. “They are in the process of shipping the lights, so hopefully by the end of this month Acklins will begin.
“We think Acklins is significant because it is one of our most far flung islands and itﾒs symbolic of what this exercise will mean to these communities.”
Officials had said they wanted all of the identified airports outfitted with the new solar runway light by October, but that appears unlikely.
The minister said the solar powered lights would also be installed at the remaining 13 government airports, within the current budget period, which ends June 30, 2007.
In August, she said the installation of these lights would signal the continuation of the governmentﾒs “conscientious programme” toward the upgrade of Family Island airports, a thrust that will eventually culminate in an increase in the level of aircraft activity, including the introduction of night flights into Family Island airports.
She said the project foreshadows the infrastructure groundwork for increased economic development for Family Island communities.
The 16 airports identified for solar powered lights are at Colonel Hill, Crooked Island; Spring Point, Acklins; Staniel Cay, Black Point and Farmerﾒs Cay in the Exumas; Congo Town and Mangrove Cay in Andros; Deadmanﾒs Cay, Long Island; Sandy Point and Mooreﾒs Island in Abaco, New Bight, Cat Island; Port Nelson, Rum Cay; Duncan Town, Ragged Island; Great Inagua; Great Harbour Cay, the Berry Islands and South Bimini.
According to the minister, these airports were selected by virtue of the frequency of medical evacuations, which have been required at those airports over the years.
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) certifies the solar lights, and according to the aviation officials the solar lights are extremely cost effective, and once installed are virtually maintenance free and virtually hurricane proof.
Officials from Carmanah Technologies had pointed out that operation of the lights will take little to minimal expertise to set up the lights and once installed, will operate from dusk until dawn each night for five years.
Afterwards, they say the battery pack can simply be replaced, and the same product will last another five years, and that replacement cycle can go on for 25 to 30 years of maintenance free lighting.
Officials believe that this type of lighting is best suited for The Bahamas because it is waterproof, robust and rugged.
By: Stephen Gay, The Bahama Journal
