Airports in The Bahamas are expected to heighten security measures as the country prepares for a January 2006 deadline for screening equipment to be in place that will have the capability of scanning both checked and carryon baggage.
Minister of Transport and Aviation Glenys Hanna Martin told The Bahama Journal earlier this week that her ministry is engaged in a series of projects to ensure that The Bahamasﾴ security provisions are up to the standards of international airports.
“This is a new dimension to airport security screening,” she said. “It is something that every country throughout the world is being challenged with in a very short period of time to meet. It involves the acquisition of screening equipment including some that are very costly.”
Minister Hanna Martin said one of the other security projects that her ministry has implemented includes the beefing up of security training for seven airports in The Bahamas.
These include Marsh Harbour, Treasure Cay, North Eleuthera, Governorﾴs Harbour, Exuma, San Salvador and New Providence.
The government and the Inter-American Development Bank are funding the initiative, according to the minister.
Both the Airport Authority and the Department of Civil Aviation are expected to benefit from the projects which will cost almost $700,000.
“We are engaged in the process of the requirements of each of the 16 ports of entry to ensure that they are not compromised come January 2006,” Minister Hanna Martin said.
“We are also in the process of reviewing the equipment required for the airports and also the level of manpower recruitment that will be needed to implement the new equipment.”
The minister said for The Bahamas to remain in compliance with international protocols a lot of resources will have to be exhausted.
“As a consequence the government is looking very carefully as this passenger security charge. It will be introduced not only in the Nassau International Airport, but at other airports that are deemed to have the traffic count that can justify such a charge,” Minister Hanna Martin said.
She added that analysis is being made on the Family Islands to see where such a charge can be added.
“Itﾴs the only way that we can realistically keep up with the growing demands of capital expenditure that we are experiencing from time to time at the airports,” the minister said.
But she did not reveal how much the passenger security charge is likely to be.
Bianca Symonette, The Bahama Journal
