PLP To Host Town Hall On Airport Development
The Progressive Labour Party will be hosting a second Public Meeting on the airport redevelopment plans, with the meeting to be held on Tuesday, January 27th at the Purvis Primary School starting at 7.00pm.
In November 2014, the Government announced they had reached an agreement with the Canadian Commercial Corporation [CCC] to build a new airport terminal building, with Finance Minister Bob Richards saying it is expected to cost in the “range of $200 million”, and the “financing will rely entirely on the future revenue streams from the new airport itself.”
21-minute video of Minister Richards announcement, in November 2014, about the airport deal
“With $1 billion dollars of future Bermuda revenue at stake, a no-bid contract to a Canadian Company, and the loss of control of our current and new airport for at least 30 years through privatisation, this is an issue of national importance,” said Shadow Finance Minister David Burt.
“Since our last Town Hall meeting, we have learned that the OBA have delayed the go/no-go date for a final decision on the airport to March 31, 2015. We have also learned that airport staff have been informed that the OBA cannot ensure that all employees will be hired by the new private airport contractor,” added Mr. Burt.
90 minute video of the PLP’s first Town Hall, held last month, on the airport project
Shadow Transport Minister Lawrence Scott remarked, “L.F. Wade International is staffed nearly 100% by Bermudians, provides a major source of revenue to the government and is our primary access point to the world. We simply cannot permit it to be privatised for at least 30 years in what appears to be a backroom deal with no RFP that will jeopardise Bermudian jobs.”
The PLP’s Town Hall Meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 27th at the Purvis Primary School starting at 7pm. Speakers include Shadow Finance Minister David Burt and Shadow Transport Minister Lawrence Scott.
“All are welcome to hear the PLP’s alternative vision for the future of the LF Wade International Airport which will preserve Bermudian jobs and keep Bermuda’s airport in Bermuda’s hands,” added a PLP spokesperson.
“The airport provides a major source of revenue to the government ” says the plp??? Does the plp EVER tell the truth??? The real facts are, it produces just over $3 million in NET revenue to bermuda!!! The plp prove everyday two things, firstly they tell untruths and secondly, they have no clue still how an economy works??? Why don’t they go to any financial instituion and ask for financing of a new airport terminal with that type of NET revenue!!!!! Can the plp please stop wasting everyone’s time, PULEEEAAASSE???????
UMMmmmmmm, you’ve gone off the deep end here. Can you please stay focused on exactly what the article is about? Privatising our airport and possibly not hiring Bermudians to staff it.
I think you’ll find the $3.5 Net revenue is just the departure tax at $35.00 per person, landing fees, duty, cargo fees, private aircraft fees etc etc are not included in that figure
The real question is why do we need a new airport? Do we need a new airport so badly that we have to spend beyond our means to have it? In the end what we will be doing is handing an important element of our infrastructure over to a foreign organisation that will probably wind up owning indefinitely. We won’t be able to fire them because we would owe them money. We would in effect be living beyond our means and that’s stupid.
Alternatively we could actually manage the airport we have a little better, especially the arrivals hall, but we won’t do that. The delights of a big expensive new airport far outweigh common sense and conservative fiscal policy. What the government wants now and what the PLP government wanted before them is a big thing to hang on an election platform.
As long as we don’t think creatively within the confines of our financial reality we will be giving this island away to everybody who shows up with a little money to spend. It’s a sort-sighted policy born of politics that our children and grandchildren will suffer for.
The PLP started this but the OBA are in danger of finishing it.
Yippie, another PLP misinformation event
The PLoP has wasted Bermuda’s time for 14 years and look where that has got us!
All this noise about a new Airport will only lead to the same ole – same ole stuff –
Fewer Visitors are actually flying to Bermuda nowdays because it cost a small fortune just to stay here just for 2 to 3 nights.
Why on earth would a Visitor come here and put up with all the hassles of Flying when they can come here by Cruise Ship
for far less money.[ and have a lot of fun on the way coming here]
We don’t need a new Airport.– it would be best to widen/dredge the St.Georges Cut Channel and make room for
2-3 more Cruise Ships.– thats were the money should go to and that will be were the money is!
The only thing a New Artport going to do is cause more Political madness and force us into an investment that we don’t have the
money for.— more Debt!!!!
The only positive thing could come out of a new Airport is Jobs — otherwise than that its a waste of time and money.