By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

DEPUTY Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis says the opening of the multi-million airport at Abaco is expected to suffer yet another delay, this time to next month.

The Leonard M Thompson International Airport in Marsh Harbour was initially expected to open in October 2012 after the Ingraham administration broke ground for the facility in September 2011. They estimated it would take 10 months to have the facility completed. Later, it was determined that the airport would not be fully operational until July 2013, but that date was abandoned and  December 2013 was eyed as the official deadline.

At some point during that time, Minister of Transport and Aviation Glenys Hanna-Martin predicted that Abaconians would see the airport open in January 2014. She then told The Tribune last month that officials had set their sights on the end of April 2014.

But yesterday, Mr Davis told reporters that although most of the work at the airport was complete, the facility was not scheduled to open until sometime in May because of numerous factors.

He said: “Marsh Harbour airport is almost done and I think we are scheduled to open sometime in May.  There were a lot of delays and a number of factors contributed to the delay. As I am currently advised,  as I stand here it is still May. I don’t know whether it’s the first week in May but I  know it is May.

“The occupancy certificate has been issued for the building. I can say that so much of the work (required) relates to the runway, the parking area and the other accommodations. (The) work required is to ensure the airport is as aesthetically functional (as possible).”

The initial budget for the Leonard M Thompson International Airport was $27 million. However, the Christie administration in December 2012 said an additional $11,930,000 would be needed to ensure it was fully functional. With that, the total cost of the airport reaches nearly $40 million.

Included in the estimate was an additional $6 million to extend the runway, $3.8 million to build a freight building, $230,000 for that building’s architectural fees and $1.9 million in other architectural fees.