Additional US$70Mn Earmarked for Sangster Airport Modernisation

• An additional US$70Mn of investment has been earmarked for the upgrading and modernisation of the Sangster International Airport (SIA) in Montego Bay, St. James. Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, made the announcement after touring the ongoing runway extension and civil infrastructure project, being undertaken at the airport at a cost of US$70Mn.
• The Sangster International Airport runway extension project is slated for completion during the second quarter of 2023. The work entails extending the strip from 2,662 to 3,060 metres.
• “This is what I would call a strategic nation-building investment. This US$140Mn in total will transform the experience here. It will make Jamaica more attractive and make Jamaica more competitive with other countries in the region, which have also invested heavily in improving their infrastructure,” he said.
• Mr. Holness told journalists that the airport’s current physical infrastructure and mechanisms are “outdated”. As such, he said this “great investment” in the airport is intended to update the facilities and improve the capacity of its services for locals and foreigners.
• Approximately 70% of visitors to Jamaica come through the Sangster International Airport. That said these new and existing investments in the airport bode well for Jamaica’s tourism product as it will open up the country to other destinations, thereby increasing the prospect of more visitors and foreign earnings for the local economy.
• Mr. Holness indicated that additional investments are being made in advancing the technology platform for the immigration process where, soon, it will be a paperless system for a seamless experience, travelling through the airport.

(Source: JIS News)