Additional US$70M earmarked for Sangster airport modernisation

An additional US$70 million of investment has been earmarked for the upgrading and modernisation of the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, St James

Prime Minister Andrew Holness made the announcement on Saturday after touring the ongoing runway extension and civil infrastructure project being undertaken at the airport at a cost of US$70 million.

Holness told journalists that the airport's current physical infrastructure and mechanisms are “outdated”.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 per cent of visitors to Jamaica come through the Sangster airport.

Holness said renditions for the airport's upgrade and design have already been made, noting that they depict a “world class” feel.

“This is what I would call a strategic nation building investment. This US$140 million 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.

“Jamaicans will also see the benefits, because this [airport] is a major doorway into Jamaica. Right now, we are seeing significant bottlenecks in receiving passengers, because there are some unique issues to do with the narrow windows for travel time,” Holness added.

Holness further indicated that these new and existing investments in the airport, bode well for Jamaica's tourism product.

He said Jamaica will be able to open up to other destinations, thereby increasing the prospect of more visitors and foreign earnings for the local economy.

“This increases our revenues, which means the Government can spend more on the things that matter to you, such as education, health, the road in your community and your water supply,” Holness pointed out.

He said 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.

“Jamaica has a very well recognised, strong and robust brand, and we need to take advantage of it for economic and social development; and part of that strategy is to improve the infrastructure,” Holness maintained.

The Sangster International Airport runway extension project is slated for completion during the second quarter of 2023.

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