One Year In Government - Prime Minister Andrew Holness

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• • gleanerjamaica • jamaicagleaner • ADVERTISEMENT THE GLEANER, THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 2017 H3
As part of the Ministry of Transport and Mining
family, the Airports Authority of Jamaica (AAJ)
continues to contribute to the positive development
of Jamaica’s international profile. The Airports
Authority was established in 1974 as an independ-
ent statutory body with initial responsibility (own-
ership and management) of the
island’s then two international air-
ports; this was later extended to
include the Ian Fleming
International Airport as well as
local aerodromes. Its principal man-
date is to develop and operate a safe
and secure airport system for
Jamaica.
Among the achievements since
February of last year have
been:
• The nomination of the Norman
Manley International and
Sangster International airports by the World
Travel Awards in the Caribbean’s Leading
Airport category. Sangster won the award on
behalf of MBJ Airports. During the period also,
NMIA received the award from Airports Council
International (ACI)
World as the most
improved airport in
Latin America and the
Caribbean in their size
category.
• During the period, there
was commendable traffic
growth at both NMIA
and SIA with a resultant
6% growth in out-turn.
AAJ posted a positive
financial performance for
the period, driven by
growth in traffic and a significant increase in
aeronautical rates for both airports.
• For the period, passenger traffic at Sangster grew
by 4.08 per cent for a total of 3.95 million and
traffic at NMIA grew by 4.5 per cent to give a
total 1.594 million passengers.
• AAJ realised an operating surplus of approxi-
mately $2.16 billion for the first three quarters of
fiscal year 2016-2017, compared with $867 mil-
ion for the same period the previous year with
concession revenues from MBJ contributing the
lion’s share to the AAJ’s revenues. The AAJ also
contributed approximately $405 million to the
government in corporation taxes and dividend
payments over the April to December 2016 period,
and has committed to making further payments
of $1.2 billion between January and March,
2017.
• As it pertains to Capital Development Programme
of airports
and aero-
dromes, MBJ
continued
work to
expand its
Baggage Hall
and Make-up
areas as well
as imple-
mented oper-
ational initia-
tives to
address
issues of con-
gestion dur-
ing peak hours.
• MBJ also continued work to maintain the plant by
providing improvements to the runway, taxi
ways, terminal and fence lines to ensure safe
operations.
• Decisions concern-
ing the NMIA Public
Private Partnership
(PPP) transaction
which is now under
way, will determine
the next steps regard-
ing certain aspects of
the Capital
Development
Programme, includ-
ing extension of the
runway.
• Operations at the Ian Fleming International
Airport and Domestic aerodromes continue to be
subsidized by the AAJ.
• Recently, the AAJ completed discussions with the
Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in
Atlanta, USA, for a ‘Sister Airport Agreement’
with Jamaica’s airports. This was the fourth
such MOU signed by the city of Atlanta with sis-
ter airports around the world. The Agreement
allows both organizations to share their expertise
and experience while increasing travel and trade
between the world’s busiest airport in Atlanta
and the airports and aerodromes in Jamaica.
Tagline ± ³7KLQNLQJ $KHDG 0RYLQJ $KHDG´
AIRPORTS AUTHORITY
OF JAMAICA
– FLYING HIGH