Barbados secures UAE funding for Grantley Adams airport upgrade
/ Our Today
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Barbados has secured funding from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for its US$147 million upgrading of the Grantley Adams International Airport (GAIA) in its capital city of Bridgetown.
The Mia Mottley administration in Barbados is partnering with Chilean logistics firm Agencias Universales S.A. and the UAE to upgrade the GAIA, its only port of entry by air.
A major gateway to the Eastern Caribbean, the airport will be upgraded with an investment of US$147 million with construction plans comprising building of a new terminal and runway expansion.
This funding is being made available through a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Barbados and the UAE and follows a previous agreement between both governments to pursue greater business ties, particularly in the transport and travel sectors. The government intends to expand the runway to 12,000 feet, allowing bigger planes to land at the airport.
Other enhancements will include improved parking facilities, an expansion of the cargo area and the installation of new security equipment. The airport serves around 2.2 million people per year, and reports indicate that it is already capable of handling huge planes such as the Airbus A380.
The airport has long been a vital air-link for cruise ship passengers coming and departing from the Port of Bridgetown, as well as a base of operations for the Regional Security System (RSS) and the Regional (Caribbean) Police Training Centre.
Barbadian Tourism Minister Ian Gooding-Edghill told reporters that the upgraded airport will boost tourism, providing jobs for locals.
The airport upgrade project is expected to create 1,000 jobs during construction and 500 permanent jobs upon the completion of the upgrade.
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