By John Myers Jr. Staff ReporterTHREE CONTRACTS valued at a combined $393 million were awarded yesterday by the Transport Ministry, under a three-year development programme to ready the Norman Manley International Airport for privatisation.
In underscoring the importance of upgrading the airport, Robert Pickersgill, the Minister of Transport and Works, said a major part of the development and improvement works will be funded from the US$5 per passenger Airport Improvement Fee which was introduced by the Government in February of this year.
"Since the introduction of the fee, US$1.94 million has been collected in respect of Sangster International, while US$1 million has been collected for the Norman Manley International Airport," said Mr. Pickersgill at yesterday's signing ceremony.
"The Norman Manley International Airport is the principal gateway to the capital, and is therefore a crucial part of the strategy to stimulate our economic growth and development," he noted.
The contracts, which were signed at the Ministry's offices in New Kingston, will cover comprehensive repair of both the air and land sides of the island's second largest airport.
The scope of works include the extension and upgrading of the airport terminal facilities, redesign of the viewing gallery, upgrading of aircraft gates, customs and immigration facilities, and the construction of a new canopy and passenger drop off area.
They also provide for improvement to the existing concourse and mezzanine level to include a new security post and postal agency. This is in addition to the instalment of new elevators, air conditioning units, a public address system and fire detection and fire fighting services.
LOCAL FIRM
One of the contracts, awarded to the local firm Auto Solutions Limited for $41 million, also covers maintenance and repair of motor vehicles.
The other two contracts went to Sypher Mueller and Llewelyn-Davis, a joint venture company out of Canada and the United Kingdom, which will handle the terminal and airside infrastructure at a cost of US$3 million (J$193 million); and another local company, Cooper and Associates, which will address fire, security, postal and PA system installations and improvements and other landside improvements for $161.5 million.
The project will be managed by the engineering and architectural firm, Harold Morrison and Associates in conjunction with Peter Jervis and Associates and Grace Ashley and Associates.
The Government's plans for the Kingston-based airport are similar to that of Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, which is now being run by an international consortium known as MBJ Airports Ltd.
On October 1, the Government through the Airport Authority of Jamaica, incorporated a new management company, the Norman Manley International Airports Ltd., to manage the business operations of the airport. As such, the new company will be responsible for implementing strategies and sourcing funding for the operation of the airport.
