UBP: UK Peeved By Lack of Oversight Capacity

May 12, 2010

yellow airplaneSaying that the Premier is using “spin” to “deflect attention from the Government’s failure to sufficiently staff the registry”, the UBP has said that the “lack of oversight capacity is the nub of the UK Government’s concerns given that it has contingent liability for Bermuda’s international obligations.”

“Irresponsible and careless” and a “baseless attack” is how Premier Dr Ewart Brown described the UBP’s statement.

The United Kingdom’s Government complained, saying that “Bermuda is conducting a revenue raising business” and that the “Department of Transportation in London would find it hard to accept the ongoing operation of the register in it’s current form.”

The Premier, along with Bermuda Director of Civil Aviation Thomas Dunstan, are in Russia now conducting a series of meetings with groups including Russian airlines Aeroflot, S7, UT Air, the Department of State Policy for Civil Aviation and the Federal Air Transport Agency.

The UBP has questioned the management of the aircraft registry saying:

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) audited the Bermuda Department of Civil Aviation in February 2009 and concluded Bermuda did not have a sufficient number of technical staff to effectively fulfill its safety oversight responsibilities.

Those responsibilities include personnel licensing, aircraft operations, air worthiness, navigation services and aerodromes. And while these specific responsibilities devolve to the country of domicile – in this particular case Russia – Bermuda retains oversight responsibilities.

Bermuda’s air registry duties have grown significantly in recent years while staffing has not kept pace. Records show 140 planes registered in 2003. Today there are more than 500 planes on the register. Despite this growth, staff numbers at the Department of Civil Aviation in the safety and regulatory area have remained relatively stagnant. In 2004 there were 10 people on staff, in 2009/10 there were 11, with the Government budgeting one more for this year.

As Minister of Transportation, Dr. Brown is responsible for the failure to make sure BDCA staffing kept pace with the growth of the aircraft registry. That he did so in the face of ICAO findings is inexcusable.

“Irresponsible and careless” and a “baseless attack” is how Premier Dr Ewart Brown described the UBP’s statement above on the Government’s management of the Aircraft Registry.

Premier Dr Brown said:

It seems as though the UBP is more interested in scoring cheap political points than protecting the interests of the people of Bermuda and the millions of dollars the Aircraft Registry contributes to our economy.

In their efforts to discredit the Government they have run a real risk of undermining our ability to save the Air Registry. It seems the UBP would rather see Bermuda lose the Aircraft Registry than come together as Bermudians to protect it.

The Premier went on to say that Government was aware that resources were stretched prior to the ICAO audit and had placed restrictions on the growth of the register for a period of 5 months. During this period Government provided support to the Department of Civil Aviation to increase the number of contracted inspectors and developed a plan to hire temporary staff as an interim measure.

He went on to explain the specifics:

  • Whilst the published Full Time Employeess for DCA have shown little growth, resources have been engaged to ensure oversight responsibilities are carried out
  • 4 Temporary additional positions were created in the last Financial Year.
  • 4 additional Contracted Inspectors have been approved in the past six months
  • Government implemented a full strategic review on the Department, from which it was expected that additional full time employees would be identified.
  • The strategic plan review was completed and accepted by Cabinet and a business plan developed from this review. The business plan takes a holistic look at the Department – systems, processes, technology- and not just human resources, to create an efficient organization
  • 4 more Temporary Additional positions will be added this year, which will mirror posts indicated in the Business Plan.
  • DCA has engaged the services of reputable aviation organizations to conduct specific oversight functions in the areas of Continuing Airworthiness (a relatively new requirement) and Safety Management. We will continue to engage such companies for projects as required.
  • Contracting services is an acceptable means of conducting regulatory oversight to both the UK and ICAO. Many countries outsource parts of their regulatory responsibilities and countries such as France and Luxembourg have outsourced significant portions for years.
  • The ICAO has accepted all the action plans submitted in response to the audit findings.

Premier Dr Brown added:

These are long term fixes, not short term repairs. The registry is made up mainly of clients who choose to be on the Register, and could one day choose not to be. Therefore we must strike a balance between FTEs and contractors so that if the Register were to decrease we are not put in the situation of downsizing the staff.

The series of meetings in Russia had been scheduled for months but the unfounded concerns by the UK placed a higher importance on the meetings to ensure the Russian operators and Regulatory Agencies were personally informed of the situation and ease any concerns. The Aircraft Registry is vital contributor to our economy and we will do everything within our power to protect it.

If the Opposition’s rule is ‘Bermuda First’ only when they say so, then their credibility on other pressing issues is in doubt. This is an issue in which the petty partisans are out of their league. This is too serious to play politics.”

The Premier will be returning to Bermuda on Thursday.

Read More About

Category: All, Politics

Comments (1)

Trackback URL | Comments RSS Feed

  1. terry says:

    What goes up….settles wherever it lands. I think I am going to make a drink..a ‘liability on dee rocks’, shaken not stirred…………no lemon thanks.

    Oh, does BDCA stand for the Bermuda Democratic Chartered Accountants?

    As a side note, the UBP do seem to have a direct line with the UK. Maybe Grant can let us know whom/who it is. This could be vital if the Premier needs to get in contact with someone.