Minister Highlights Port-of-Spain Declaration

Mr. Speaker, in keeping with my undertaking to provide updates on matters related to the Department of Civil Aviation, I wish to inform this Honourable House of the Port-of-Spain Declaration that was recently signed by the Director of Civil Aviation on behalf of Bermuda at the fifth meeting of the North American, Central American, and Caribbean Directors of Civil Aviation Meeting held in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, from pril 28 through April 30, 2014.

The meeting was convened by the International Civil Aviation Organization [ICAO] North American, Central American and Caribbean Regional Office with the participation of officials representing States and Overseas Territories.

Mr. Speaker, the UK Civil Aviation Authority [CAA] is the statutory corporation which regulates and overseas all aspects of civil aviation in the UK. Air Safety Support International or [ASSI] is a wholly owned subsidiary company of CAA and the company’s primary objective is to provide a more unified system of civil aviation safety regulation in the United Kingdom Overseas Territories.

As the Queen’s representative, the Governor is responsible for ensuring the adequacy of the safety regulation oversight within an Overseas Territory. The Governor designates the Director of Civil Aviation to discharge this responsibility in Bermuda.

Mr. Speaker, the International Civil Aviation Organisation [ICAO] is the international organisation responsible for setting standards of regulation for international aviation safety. Member States of ICAO undertake to collaborate in securing the highest practicable degree of uniformity in regulations, standards, procedures and organization in relation to aircraft, personnel, airways and auxiliary services in all matters in that such uniformity will facilitate and improve air navigation.

At the 38th Session of the ICAO Assembly, member states approved objectives to be achieved through the Global Aviation Safety Plan [GASP] and Global Air Navigation Plan [GANP].

Mr. Speaker, in order to promote harmonized implementation of safety and air navigation matters in accordance with the ICAO Global Aviation Safety Plan [GASP] and Global Air Navigation Plan [GANP], the North American, Central American and Caribbean Directors of Civil Aviation approved the Port-of-Spain Declaration and commit their respective organizations to achieve the safety and air navigation targets contained within the Declaration.

The meeting emphasized that the agreed targets and metrics will guide the achievement of regional priorities for future years and recognized that in order to achieve the targets and goals specified, States and Territories will need assistance from the ICAO NACC Regional Office through different mechanisms, such as the implementation of working groups, NACC regular work programme, technical assistance, and technical cooperation assistance.

Correspondingly, the States and Territories shall assign adequate resources to support implementation and achievement of the safety and air navigation targets in order to meet the agreed goals as outlined in the Port-of-Spain Declaration.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to note that for the most part Bermuda has already achieved many of the agreed goals contained in the Port-of-Spain Declaration that are particular to Bermuda. However, the Department of Civil Aviation will continue to support ICAO and Member States and Territories in achieving targets which are regional in nature.

Thank you.

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