‘Finishing touches’ on South Caicos airport for March opening

Hopes are high for the completion of the South Caicos Airport by the end of the first quarter (March 31), a decades-old project rife with setbacks that was recommissioned in 2021 by the former PDM government.

This week members of the Cabinet toured the underconstruction airport terminal facility, meeting with the project manager and other workers.

The walk-through of the facility allowed the government officials to see first-hand the work which has been completed and the finishing touches that are currently underway.

In January 2021, former Premier Sharlene Cartwright Robinson commissioned a new and structurally sound airport terminal for South Caicos, saying at the time: “This is a day that should bring excitement; however, I can certainly understand any apprehension that residents may feel having had the experiences in relation to a new terminal in South Caicos”.

The project, which has been in the planning stages for over a decade, has encountered many challenges over the years.

Among the hindrances were the termination of the procurement process by former governor John Freeman in early 2018, and a devastating fire that demolished the temporary terminal facility in March 2020, among other logistical matters.

But despite the setbacks, a new procurement process was completed, a contract was signed, and execution of the project finally got underway in 2021.

During a visit to the facility in May 2022, the current minister of immigration, Hon Arlington Musgrove, and a team examined the ongoing construction works – which in addition to a terminal, includes a new fire hall and maintenance site.

Former Tourism Minister, Ralph Higgs says the government’s plan to dismantle the Tourist Board and establish a Destination Management Organisation (DMO) which will be a public-private partnership (PPP), will further marginalise Turks and Caicos Islanders.

Higgs, who was also a former Director at Turks and Caicos Tourist Board expressed these sentiments after learning that the staff of the Tourist Board received separation letters on Friday, February 3, ending their employment.

“How does the minister expect the staff to feel and perform over the next four months?

“Why not give the staff their monetary package now so they can invest it or use it to prepare themselves for their transition into their own business or new employment? That is thoughtful and the humane thing to do at this time, Madam Minister.

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During that visit, the minister immediately commissioned the erection of a new temporary terminal, stating at the time: “I am not pleased with the progression of this multimillion-dollar project and as such, we need to take the necessary steps to ensure that we obtain value for money.”

The new airport is expected to allow larger aircraft to land, resulting in an increase in passenger numbers, a better, modernised facility for the travelling public of South Caicos, and better facilities for firefighters and firefighting equipment.

Upon completion, the airport will then be able to have the removal of the flight operation restrictions and the accommodation of scheduled international flights. (DELANA ISLES)

The termination letters were handed to some 17 employees of the Tourist Board as the government moves full steam ahead with its plan to transition the board to a DMO aimed at taking marketing and management of TCI’s tourism industry to the next level.

Commenting on the issue which has since sparked outrage on local social media platforms, the former Tourism Minister in a Facebook post chided the incumbent administration for dissolving what he described as “a successful agency” that has been instrumental to the territory’s recognition and success over the years.

He said: “The Hon Minister for Tourism is intentionally misleading TC Islanders about her government’s plans for our country’s leading industry/tourism and about the treatment of the Tourist Board’s staff.

“The only thing the staff of the Tourist Board has received so far from the organisation, along with their separation letters, is complete demoralisation.

“The Hon Minister’s assertion that the new DMO, which will be a Public Private Partnership (PPP), is the answer and not the further marginalisation of our people, is a pipe dream.

“At best her assertion is theoretical and not based in TCI's reality.”

Higgs stressed that public-private partnerships arrangements have not augured well for the territory in the past and is adamant that the government should rethink the management structure of the DMO.

He said: “We have had a number of PPPs here in the TCI and no one can point to a single case where our people haven’t been screwed by them - so much so, that our country cannot enter into a PPP arrangement without the expressed communicated approval of the British Government (HMG).

“This position taken by the British with respect to PPPs in the TCI, I suspect, was not taken because PPPs are bad things (they have their place and purpose).

“However, in our country’s case, this is a requirement by the UK perhaps, because we have been