Wednesday, November 11 – The Ministry of Natural Resources and Labour recently transferred 120 acres of crown land comprising 46 parcels, inclusive of the Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport, to the B.V.I. Airports Authority (BVIAA).
At the November 6 signing, Senior Lands Officer in the Ministry of Natural Resources and Labour Mrs. Michelle St. Edmondson outlined some of the steps taken to arrive at this stage and expressed the ministry’s satisfaction with the airport land acquisition.
Board members Mr. Cecil Dawson and Mrs. Debra Romney Hodge signed the instruments of transfer as directors on behalf of the BVIAA.
Mrs. Romney Hodge, who is also acting chair of the BVIAA, expressed her satisfaction to the Department of Information and Public Relations after the signing.
“We are very pleased to have gotten to this stage. It gives us a foundation from which we can progress with our master plan. It also gives us a sense of empowerment for it enhances our balance sheet and provides us with a sense of achievement on behalf of the aviation future of the BVI,” Mrs. Romney Hodge said.
Mr. Dawson was equally pleased with the signing of the documents as the BVIAA is charged with developing airport lands for economic benefit to the Territory. “Not holding tenure to the land made it difficult for the BVI Airports Authority to have responsibility without authority for the lands,” Mr. Dawson said.
“The acquisition of these lands by the airports authority gives us the authority to deal with the lands properly and we are very happy to have arrived at this first stage towards the registration of the holdings. We look forward to the completed registration so we can proceed with the business of the BVI Airports Authority,” Mr. Dawson added.
Governor David Pearey will later execute the instruments of transfer on behalf of Government as part of the requirement under the 1970 Registered Land Ordinance. Two remaining parcels will be transferred at later date which will conclude Government’s transfer of lands to the BVIAA.
The signing was in accordance with Section 12 of the Airports Act, 2003 which states that all Crown property including lands which are acquired exclusively for the purposes of the airport and its operations be transferred to and vested in the company on such terms and conditions as the Government, the company and any other interested party may agree to in writing.
Earlier this year, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Labour facilitated the transfer of lands between the Crown and the BVI Health Services Authority where approximately four acres of land, including the site for the new Peebles Hospital, were transferred to the authority to allow for the hospital expansion project.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Labour is the Government arm responsible for crown lands and the effective management of the Territory’s natural resources. This also includes the preparation of instruments for acquisition and disposition of crown lands.
British Virgin Islands News