Janet Silvera, Freelance Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
THREE DAYS before the start of the winter tourist season and three months ahead of schedule, MBJ Limited has unveiled the first of six spanking new boarding bridges at the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, St. James.
The bridge, which is part of phase 1A of the US$180 million five-year modernisation exercise taking place at the airport, is slated to enhance all aspects of the Jamaican tourism sector and set the island on target with the process of international best practices.
And by Christmas Eve, the Montego Bay Hub will receive five additional bridges, fully operational from gate one to six. "Both Jamaicans and others coming on Jamaican soil will be using the most modern facilities," boasted Dennis Morrison, Chairman of the Airports Authority of Jamaica.
According to Mr. Morrison, the new amenities are critical to the infrastructure required to make the Jamaican economy more competitive.
"It helps the travelling public, but more critically it serves to enhance our tourism sector, which is the driving part of the economy."
The new jet bridge will make the process of deplaning and boarding more comfortable. Passengers will no longer have to strain with their hand luggage up and down the staircases in order to enter the terminal building.
"The MBJ consortium has to date displayed every indication of its ability to contribute to the growth and the prosperity of Jamaica, through the development of one of the country's key assets," said Robert Pickersgill, Minister of Transport and Works, as he lauded the team.
He said MBJ was fully aware of the strategic importance of the Sangster International Airport. He said the group was becoming increasingly more sophisticated, demanding the best services while expecting the highest quality of customer care.
It was a happy and significant occasion for the stakeholders who spent years of hard work negotiating to secure the financial requirements of the airport, leading to the privatisation and the take-over by MBJ Limited in April 2003.
