Virgin Gorda, BVI - “The airport is a must,” said Premier Honourable Ralph T. O’Neal, OBE as he addressed residents of Virgin Gorda at a public meeting last evening.
Delivering welcome remarks to the more than 200 residents who flocked the Catholic Community Centre, Honourable O’Neal who is also the Ninth District representative said “I need not ask you an obvious question, if you want an airport. I know that you want the airport, you need the airport.”
The meeting was organised to bring residents up to date on the options for the way forward, devised by Halcrow Group Limited, the United Kingdom based company contracted to design and conduct other preliminary work for the airport development project. The options were developed in consultation with Air Safety Support International (ASSI), the aviation regulatory authority for the British Overseas territories.
“In order to have the airport, we have got to have proper engineering plans and advice from the airport experts,” the Premier stated.
Encouraging the residents to provide their feedback on the options presented by Halcrow, Honourable O’Neal said “your input here tonight will influence that decision that the Government will make in carrying out the construction of the airport.”
Permanent Secretary in the Premier’s Office, Mrs Rosalie Adams, who chaired the meeting, said safety is the main premise on which the airport will be upgraded.
“When we take the time to do all of this work, all of the surveys, all of the assessments, it is to ensure that at the end, we have something that is safe for the people of Virgin Gorda and our visitors, so we are going to do all that we can, keeping safety as the main theme,” Mrs. Adams told the residents.
The Halcrow officials outlined two options for the runway development. Option one entails the extension of the runway in its existing alignment, removal of the obstacles, expansion of runway and pavement of the entire strip. The second option, identified by the Halcrow officials themselves as “radical”, entails the re-alignment of the runway from its current north-south positioning.
Comparing the two options, Halcrow’s Chief Planner, Air Transport, Mr. Nick Kaberry said with option one, 22 parcels of land and seven buildings will be affected while option two will affect 23 parcels of land and 22 buildings will have to be demolished and persons compensated.
When the floor opened for questions and comments, the residents of Virgin Gorda were very vocal in their preference for option one and their criticism of the second option and also expressed concern for the environmental impact.
“The second option has to go,” said one elderly resident who lives near the airport. “It’s just plain madness,” said a pilot who has been flying into Virgin Gorda for more than a decade. Other comments included, “option two has no place on Virgin Gorda” and “it is totally intrusive and there is no way we can accept it.”
The opinion of the residents now clear, Halcrow will have to work with Government on refining the option to ensure that the end product is in the best interest of the Territory.
The airport in its current condition does not comply with international safety standards. Hence, in June 2008, Government signed an agreement with Halcrow for the design and other preliminary work necessary for the creation of a new Virgin Gorda airport. The project will include a new terminal, air traffic control, aircraft parking area, car park and improved road access.
British Virgin Islands News