Bahamas signs $55M loan agreement to upgrade North Eleuthera International Airport

The Bahamas has signed a $55 million loan agreement with the Saudi Fund for Development to expedite required upgrades to the North Eleuthera International Airport. Through this initiative, the authorities aim to enhance the tourism sector of the country and improve travelling experience for both locals and visitors across the Islands of the Bahamas.

The signing ceremony was conducted between the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Investments and Aviation, Chester Cooper and Sultan Abdulrahman Al- Marshad, Chief Executive Officer, Saudi Fund for Development Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

While shedding light on the signing of the agreement, Deputy Prime Minister, Chester Cooper stated that their administration has built strong international partnerships to support their National Development Goals, and this loan signifies the benefits of those relationships.

He noted that this project reflects their commitment to ensure that every Bahamian, regardless of where they live, benefits from modern reliable infrastructure.

He noted that this project would create huge development in the transportation services of the island nation which is not only vital to the continued growth of the nation’s number one industry, but also to the economic growth of the people of Eleuthera.

Minister Chester Cooper continued to say that the signing of this agreement between Bahamas and Saudi Arabia will be able to revitalize the North Eleuthera Airport, providing it with the necessary facilities to establish its status as a world class international airport and improve the experiences of passengers travelling both to and from the destination.

While emphasising on this development, the Deputy Director General of Tourism and Director of Aviation, Dr Kenneth Romer stated that improving airport infrastructure and ensuring their strategic development is a critical component of their National Aviation Strategic Plan.

He noted that they are making their best efforts to carry out the transport of passengers and cargo, airlines in order to offer safe, efficient and affordable airport infrastructure to sustain their operations.

He added that this initiative aims to accomplish several objectives of the Bahamas Tourism industry, which include

• To attract more direct international and domestic traffic to Bahamian airports to generate economic growth and employment.
• To aid in the creation of opportunities for local entrepreneurs and stakeholders.
• To deliver facilities and infrastructure that increase operational efficiencies.
• To improve and enhance the passenger’s experience.
• To provide structural security capable of withstanding storm surge and wind conditions equivalent to a Category 5 hurricane.