Covid19 grounds airport project

KINNESHA GEORGE-HARRY

The $1.2 billion ANR Robinson International Airport expansion project has been halted owing to the covid19 pandemic.

Speaking with Newsday on Monday, National Infrastructure Development Company Ltd (Nidco) chairman Herbert George said plans to start on-site work had had to be postponed.

In January, two contracts were signed between Nidco and China Railway: one for upgrading the terminal building and the other for constructing the new terminal and associated works.

The upgrades were supposed to start “almost immediately,” but George said the current stay-at-home order has temporarily grounded the project.

“The renovations part for the existing airport, where it has to be upgraded…that part has the go-(ahead), but it is being held up now by the covid19 lockdown. When that is lifted, then action would start,” he said. “It’s a design-build, so designs are required. The contract is signed, but you will not see work taking place there now, because the designs are taking place now. The contractor is not working there, he cannot work there, but it is not preventing him from doing the designs, so the design work can be going on now, but not the actual site work.” George said no new timeline has been agreed to, as the covid19 situation is fluid.

“There are no timelines in place at this time when it comes to either project. We have to wait until this lockdown is lifted.”

On the construction of the new terminal, which includes acquiring 53 acres of land between Store Bay Local Road and the airport perimeter fence in the Bon Accord area, George said the land acquisition is ongoing.

“I know that there have been some agreements. We have had some agreements with some of the owners and some of these agreements have been forwarded for payments, and that is being processed now.

Nidco entered into a loan agreement for $300 million to facilitate the compensation of property owners and occupiers of lands identified for the new terminal and associated works.

Spokesman for Provide Equivalent Equitable Compensation for Everyone (PEECE) Movement, Rhonda Hackett said on Monday there has been no word from Nidco since the onset of the covid19 pandemic. Hackett said she is aware several of the affected residents met Nidco officials, but could not confirm the status of the negotiations.

“All the persons who I either communicated with directly or got information about indirectly have indicated that they had not received any money. Conversation took place between them and Nidco about payments but no one, to date, that I know of has received any payment,” she said.

In June last year, the THA told affected residents they would be offered land at subsidised prices to build their new homes. Head of the Airport Relocation Committee Allan Richards told residents land had been allocated at Shirvan, Cove and Courland.