Earlier on in the news, we told you about the new international airport planned for northern Ambergris Caye in the Basil Jones area.
But, while that developer has grand ambitions, how about the repairs to the Caye Caulker airstrip which still needs a lot of work and attention?
Now in terms of cost, the initial $ 7 million dollars for renovations had to be downsized to $3.5 million for Social Security to consider the loan.
Area Rep and the Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation Manuel Heredia gave us an update today:
Hon. Manuel Heredia, Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation
"If I am not mistaken, the previous weeks they were taking the levels and what not - the technical part of it I am sure that yesterday the physical part of transporting materials to Caye Caulker started and it is our hope even though the contract calls for 8 months, we are hoping that by Easter we would be able to open the airstrip. This airstrip when completed is supposed to be hot mix airstrip juts like the municipal one with running lights on that and a little wider than what it is right now, but it supposed to be a state of the art airstrip. We are hoping at this point that Caye Caulker [airstrip] will be about 3.5 million dollars investment."
Reporter
"It was 7 million dollars and you guys had to break it down to 3 right?"
Hon. Manuel Heredia
"It was 7 million and then we downsized it. Airlines were saying look we want our own terminal. We wanted to do our own terminal and lease it to them. They said it is better that they do it and then the fencing because there is a situation whereby there is no outlet for residents on the south part of that airstrip, then we have to wait a little longer to see how we can resolve that."
Reporter
"SSB has approved 3.5 million for the Caye Caulker airstrip."
Works should be completed by Easter next year.
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