Use other people’s money to expand airport - Skelton Cline
Political commentator and former government consultant Claude Skelton Cline has insisted that government should not use its own money to complete the planned airport extension project.
He argued that successive and future governments have and will have no monies to build the airport so financing should be sought elsewhere.
“You don’t spend your own money to go build no airport. You don’t go borrow no $200 million to go build no airport. Governments are not in the airport business,” Skelton Cline said on his Honestly Speaking radio programme this week.
He said the airport project needs to finally go out for a request for proposals to ‘finance, design, build, and operate’.
“Use other peoples’ money to develop that airport,“ Skelton Cline urged. “Make some concessions that will benefit and bless and advance your country on behalf of your people.”
Meanwhile, the talk show host lambasted plans to engage in further consultancy regarding the airport.
Skelton Cline expressed the concern after noticing that the Recovery & Development Agency (RDA) issued an expression of interest for consultancy services for route development and traffic forecast for the TB Lettsome International Airport on Beef Island.
According to Skelton Cline, it had already been disclosed in the House of Assembly years ago under the previous administration that at least $10 million had been spent on the development of the airport.
He said the airport has already been studied extensively with regard to lengthening and redirecting.
Skelton Cline also claimed that all the consultancies that are being conducted by the RDA are going to UK companies.
“You mean to tell me to this day we are still here talking about engaging consultancy services for route development and traffic forecast?“ Skelton Cline asked.
The talk show host said this tells him that the territory has no intention of building an airport and is not serious about the initiative.
“You don’t spend your own money to go build no airport. You don’t go borrow no $200 million to go build no airport. Governments are not in the airport business,” Skelton Cline said on his Honestly Speaking radio programme this week.
He said the airport project needs to finally go out for a request for proposals to ‘finance, design, build, and operate’.
“Use other peoples’ money to develop that airport,“ Skelton Cline urged. “Make some concessions that will benefit and bless and advance your country on behalf of your people.”
Meanwhile, the talk show host lambasted plans to engage in further consultancy regarding the airport.
Skelton Cline expressed the concern after noticing that the Recovery & Development Agency (RDA) issued an expression of interest for consultancy services for route development and traffic forecast for the TB Lettsome International Airport on Beef Island.
According to Skelton Cline, it had already been disclosed in the House of Assembly years ago under the previous administration that at least $10 million had been spent on the development of the airport.
He said the airport has already been studied extensively with regard to lengthening and redirecting.
Skelton Cline also claimed that all the consultancies that are being conducted by the RDA are going to UK companies.
“You mean to tell me to this day we are still here talking about engaging consultancy services for route development and traffic forecast?“ Skelton Cline asked.
The talk show host said this tells him that the territory has no intention of building an airport and is not serious about the initiative.
