THE AIRPORTS (Economic Regulation) (Expansion Fund) (Norman Manley International Airport) Regulations, 2003, was passed by the House of Representatives last Tuesday.
The Regulations were drafted under the Airports (Economic Regulations) Act, 2002.
Robert Pickersgill, Minister of Transport and Works, in piloting the Bill recalled the passage of the Airports ( Economic Regulations) Act, 2002, which established the Civil Aviation Authority, as the agency with responsibility for economic regulation for designated scheduled airports Norman Manley and Sangster and provided for the introduction of an airport improvement fee, which was to be paid by all passengers departing Jamaica.
REGULATIONS
In early 2003, the Orders and Regulations under section 6, sub-section 1 and 21 of the Act were passed by the House. The Orders provided the framework for the implementation of the airport improvement fee at both airports, and the Airports (Economic Regulation) (Expansion Fund) Airport Improvement Fee (Sangster International Airport) Regulation 2003, provided for the management and use of the Government's Airport Expansion Fund for the Sangster International Airport.
The Airport Expansion Fund bank account, where airport improvement fees collected at both international airports are being deposited, has been established at the Bank of Novia Scotia Jamaica Limited, Minister Pickersgill informed the House.
EXPANSION FUNDS
Since the establishment of the airport improvement fee, US$1.9 million has been collected for the Sangster International Airport, of which US$1.36 million has been used for approved capital development expenditure and debt service for that airport.
With respect to the Norman Manley International, a total of US$1.08 million has been collected and is being held in the Norman Manley International Airport Expansion Fund Account, an interest-bearing account.
Mr. Pickersgill said the development plan for Norman Manley had been finalised and would be presented before the end of 2003.
"The capital development programme has now been completed by the Airports Authority of Jamaica for the Norman Manley International Airport, and as with the Sangster International Airport, the development of the Norman Manley International Airport is critical to the strategy of stimulating growth and development of the Jamaican economy," he told the House
