Speaking as a guest of JTV’s Big Story on Wednesday, March 22, 2023, Mr Menal told host Cathy O. Richards that multiple changes are to come into effect at the airport within the next three months.

Responding to queries about the faulty parking ticketing system, Mr Menal said there currently exists a Request for Proposal for a new pay-on-foot system.

“So frankly, the system that was implemented years ago, it was not suited to the environment, hence the reason why it breaks down all the time and we constantly have to do maintenance, so we are doing our very best; however, it has reached the point where we absolutely [need to] change it over."

Traffic in front airport terminal to be re-routed

The BVIAA MD further said there is also a need to re-route traffic from the front of the airport terminal, due to regulatory requirements.

"We will be required to move the traffic but at the same time we are taking the opportunity to cause that to enhance the custom experience."

At the time of the interview, Manal said he did not have the full plan at hand and was unable to give more details; however, he said it will be made public in the coming weeks.

He said the re-routing of the traffic should come in the next three or four months but it will be made public, “because you need a high level of sensitisation, because you are accustomed to coming in one way [and] we don't want you to come one day and you have to go left instead of right."

Menal, a St Lucia National, has worked with airports around the Caribbean for the past 25 years.

He took up the post of BVIAA Managing Director in January 2022.

Prior to his appointment in the VI, he was Deputy General Manager – Operations with the Airports Authority of Trinidad and Tobago.