Nassau, Bahamas –- The Aviation sector is one
of the key components in the country’s economy. During her contribution to the
2016/2017-budget debate on Thursday, June 17, Minister of Transport and
Aviation, the Hon. Glenys Hanna-Martin, said that as a result, all efforts must
be taken to ensure that it operates at the highest standards.
“The aviation sector is a key component in
our national life: it facilitates the tourism economy and assures our social
cohesion as an archipelagic people,” said the Minister.
“It is no surprise, therefore that we would
have some 56 airports in this country, 29 of which are government owned and
operated.”
She said that over the past four years, the Government
has been actively engaging in a process to modernize the country’s aviation
sector. The process, she says, involved multiple approaches on all levels,
including the restructuring of the civil aviation agencies that oversee and
operate the aviation machinery in the country.
“Mr. Speaker you will recall we recently
debated and unanimously passed legislation in this House for the creation
of a regulatory body, the Civil Aviation Authority, to be responsible
solely for the oversight of safety and security protocols and systems at
aerodromes and in aviation nationwide.
“The legislation also creates an air
navigation agency, the BANSD for the management of air traffic nationwide and
for the maintenance and management of ancillary equipment and technology
such as radars and navigation aids and communications equipment for the facilitation
of air traffic management.
“You will recall that Family Island
airports and their operations will transfer to the Airport Authority into
their newly created Family Island Division; and an accident and
investigation unit has been created out of the office of the Minister of
Aviation which will be mandated to investigate aviation accidents and in the
promotion of aviation safety.”
She said that the process is in its final
phases and she anticipates that the transition would be complete within
the next six months.
This, she believes, would subsequently create
a ‘transparent and reputable’ aviation sector, which would be fully compliant
with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards.
Additionally, she said that from a technical standpoint,
the Civil Aviation Department has been building capacity, which affect, human,
technological and infrastructural reform over the past four years.
To this end, the Government has purchased and
installed anew, state-of-the-art ASR12 Radar system from Indra Sistemas of
Spain.
“This major technology acquisition has
remediated what has been in effect a tenuous situation with our radar
system for many years,” she said.
“Additionally the new APP Building, the
Approach Control Centre has been constructed from which radar controllers
will operate and where controllers are being trained with the state of the art
simulators housed in that building.”
Air traffic Controllers and airway
facility staff have already completed training in Spain. The government
has already recruited 10 new air traffic controllers and additional 10 will be
added to staff as time progresses.
Other recruits include five new radar
technicians who will supplement the maintenance unit. She said that over
the last four years, the first-ever cadre of six aerodrome inspectors have been
hired to oversee safety and security at all airports in The Bahamas.
In addition, two Airworthiness Inspectors for
Flight Standards Inspectorate, one Operations Inspector for the Flight
Standards Inspectorate and one Cabin Safety Inspector for the Flight Standards
Inspectorate have been recruited. The Department is currently in the process of
recruiting and additional two Airworthiness inspectors and one Operations
inspector.