BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, OCTOBER 26TH 2005 - The St. Christopher Air and Sea Ports Authority is on a mission to transform the company into a financially viable entity that is able to deliver efficient and affordable services to all its customers and citizens of St. Kitts and Nevis.
That's the word from the Authority's Chairman, Mr. Linkon Maynard, who said that the new Board over the past seven months, has been looking at ways to improve the financial performance of SCASPA and its ability to sustain the relevant continuous infrastructural development which must be undertaken at this critical juncture in the development of tourism industry on the Federation.
He said other areas of critical importance include the management structure and the human resource capacity of SCASPA to professionally deal with the challenges.
"The Maintenance of our plant and operating equipment and the challenges that have at times threatened the operational efficiency of the Airport and the Seaport, the compliance issues as they relate to new Security and Safety measures of our Airport and Seaports facilities in a post-911 world and the expansion and refurbishment of the Robert Llewellyn Bradshaw Airport Runway and aircraft parking facilities are areas which have had the critical and specific attention of Board Members," Maynard told a Press Conference Wednesday morning.
He said that in tackling these specific issues, SCASPA has taken a number of important decisions and some initiatives have been implemented.
"We have for the past four months contracted the world renowned firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers, to assist us with the financial and management restructuring of SCASPA. The contract is for a period of six months and we are very pleased with the results of their intervention thus far," said Maynard, who added that part of the restructuring will ensure that there are new streams of revenue for the ports.
Mr. Maynard said SCASPA was actively pursuing the establishment of a commercial and marketing department as the Authority can no longer depend on just aeronautical fees and departure taxes to fund and ensure the necessary finances to carry out the required infrastructural developments.
He said the new Board concerned about SCASPA's human resource capacity undertook a significant restocking of the top management position with the appointments of a Director of the Human Resources, a Manager in the Human Resource Department, an Airport Manager and a Financial Controller.
Mr. Maynard said SCASPA is in the process of finalising the contract arrangement for the hiring of a highly-trained Kittitian mechanical engineer to take over, streamline and organise the maintenance and operation of the Authority's plant and equipment.
He said SCASPA has recently spear-headed the establishment of a National Task Force which has been charged with the responsibility of ensuring the compliance of its Airport and Seaports.
"The work of the Task Force is on going and total compliance of our facilities should be realised before the end of the year," said Maynard, who was supported at the News Conference by Minister of State for Finance, Sustainable Development, Technology and Information, Sen. the Hon. Nigel Carty; Acting Financial Secretary, Mrs. Janet Harris; General SCASPA General Manager, Mr. Donald Cable; Airport Manager, Mr. Denzil Jones and Novaport Consultant, Mr. Gordon Goodwin.
