Jamaica’s transport minister welcomes loan agreement for Sangster International Airport

The recent signing of a US$40-million loan agreement to upgrade the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, has been welcomed by Transport Minister Mike Henry.

The agreement was signed between MBJ Airports and Scotia Bank Jamaica to upgrade the airport located in the western city.

According to Henry, in addition to providing world-class travel facilities, the improvements to be undertaken will ensure the airport’s continued compliance with international aviation standards.

Transforming to world-class facility

“Jamaica can boast that we have been named one of the most improved areas in safety having reached 83 per cent by international aviation standards. As we embark on transforming the airport into a world-class facility, we will also ensure the airport’s continued compliance with local and international standards for safety and aviation security,” said Henry who attended the official signing ceremony last week.

Significant increase in passenger traffic

For his part, Chief Executive Officer for MBJ Airports Limited, Dr. Rafael Echevarne, informed that the airport has seen significant growth, with an 8.4 per cent increase in passenger traffic last year. “We never imagined we would achieve that figure,” he said.

He noted that the upgrading work aims to put the necessary infrastructure in place to accommodate the expected continued growth.

Seven-year loan

The seven-year loan will be used to resurface the taxiways and aprons; complete renovation of the ticketing area to include new air conditioning system; renovation of the restrooms in the ticketing and departure areas; implementation of new security systems; among other projects.

Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett, in welcoming the development, said the loan agreement will go a far way in improving access to destination Jamaica.

“Without access, there can be no movement and movement requires seamlessness, and to improve on the physical facilities is to enable seamlessness. Destinations are recognized today not because they exist but because they are accessible and their processes,” he pointed out.

The Sangster International Airport is the third largest airport in the region, facilitating 74 per cent of traffic to Jamaica. Arrivals in 2017 surpassed 4 million passengers, the highest number ever recorded on the island for any one year.