THE Government is looking to offload the Ian Fleming International Airport along with two other aerodromes when it finds a buyer for the Norman Manley International Airport (NMIA).

Motivated by a deep need for cutting costs and closing a huge deficit that fuels the growth of the burgeoning national debt, the Government has been “seeking to identify and appoint a suitably qualified concessionaire to operate the Norman Manley International Airport (NMIA) and develop and expand some of the GOJ-owned Aerodromes”, according to the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), which recently approved a US$550,000 ($47.3 million) grant to fund the process.

The Development Bank of Jamaica Limited (DBJ), which was appointed secretariat to the NMIA Enterprise Team (NMIAET), told Caribbean Business Report, in a written response to queries, that the aerodromes being targeted in the privatisation transaction include Ken Jones Aerodrome in Port Antonio, Portland and the Negril Aerodrome in Negril, Hanover along with the Ian Fleming International Airport (formerly the Boscobel Aerodrome) in Boscobel, St Mary, which has been receiving media attention over its naming and a fault on its taxiway.

The airport’s sign was defaced as residents of the small community protested over the name given while the take off of a Cessna Citation XL aircraft (the second plane to use the port since its opening on January 12) was aborted due to a defect on the taxiway causing one of the plane’s tyres to settle a few inches into the pavement.

The DBJ said that it is currently seeking to “engage consultants to provide various services to execute the privatisation exercise” and expects the privatisation to take 15 to 18 months to complete thereafter.

“The first phase of the transaction will involve a comprehensive diagnostic overview of the project including identification of commercial opportunities with the objective of developing appropriate options,” said the DBJ’s written response to CBR queries. “The second phase of the transaction will involve the marketing, implementing and closing of the transaction.”

The IDB on January 20 disclosed (via its project portal on its website) that it approved a non-reimbursable technical co-orperation (a grant) to “support the capacity development and due diligence costs of divesting NMIA and select aerodromes”.

“These costs include the operation of the NMIA Secretariat and the engagement of consultants with the sector-specific skills, experience and expertise required to successfully execute the transaction in line with GOJ’s objectives,” said the IDB’s description of the project.

The NMIAET is chaired by Christopher Zacca, special advisor to the prime minister.