The Government proceeded with two motions, in the House of Assembly on Tuesday and Thursday this week, relating to the expansion of Wallblake Airport, brushing aside objections from Leader of the Opposition Hubert Hughes and his colleague Edison Baird.

The first motion on Tuesday, piloted by Minister of Finance, Victor Banks, sought the permission of the House for Government to enter into an agreement with a bank or banks to borrow EC$40.5 million towards the expansion of Wallblake Airport. Of that amount, $27 million is for a period of three years and the remaining $13.5 million for 10-15 years.

Mr. Banks noted that from 1980 there had been a number of suggestions not only about the expansion of the airport but of the location of the airport as well. He referred specifically to discussions between former Chief Minister Hubert Hughes and Aruban and French officials on the development of a jet airport at Brimegin and the eventual comparative study initiated by the present Government which recommended the expansion of Wallblake Airport instead. He stated that Government had eventually decided to extend the airport to 6,000 feet with an overall cost of US$21 million. The Minister explained that the cost included elements of land acquisition, road diversion, runway expansion, parking and apron facilities.

Mr. Banks said the Anguilla Government had four sources of funding – the first being its own revenue surpluses and the sale of ANGLEC shares to the tune of $15.214 million or US$5.634 million; a British Government grant of EC$3.338 million or US$1.236 million for technical assistance only; a grant from the European Development Fund of US$10.676 million or approximately EC$28.825 million over a three-year period beginning in 2004; and loan in the region of EC$8.454 million or US$3.131 million from commercial and development banks and other financial institutions.

The Minister of Finance pointed out that of the EC$40.5 million Government had now decided to borrow from banks, EC$27 million dollars would be financed from the draw downs on the EDF grant and would be paid within three years; and the balance of EC$13.5 or approximately US$5 million would be the only long-term loan facing the Government. He was confident that Government could manage its finances well and pay off its debt.

Opposition Leader Hubert Hughes stood by his long-standing argument that the development of the jet airport at Brimegin was the best solution to the island’s airport needs. He stressed that it was not an issue about the funding but the location of the airport.

He contended that Wallblake was a disaster site for several reasons: “it is unsightly, the land slopes and moves” and there was a need to build up one section by 40 feet or more “thus creating a dam…and a flood.” He was critical that up to now there was no plastic model available showing what the expanded airport would look like.

“In my consideration of a meaningful airport for Anguilla, I wasn’t going to do it for American Eagle,” Mr. Hughes stated. “I have to do an overall analysis of the needs of Anguilla for an airport and, by that means, the problem with American Eagle would have been solved. Jets would have been landing in Brimegin if this wasteful Government had not come to power…My issue will always be that Wallblake – whether they get the money to do it or not - is a waste of time. It is a tax dilemma and will cost Anguilla a lot now and in the future.”

Mr. Baird took a different view of the matter. He supported the expansion of Wallblake Airport but in keeping with the consultants’ recommendation that option one was the best proposal for expanding the airport (to accommodate the ATR-72 American Eagle aircraft). That option called for an extension to the eastern end of the runway by 252 meters including a 150 meter starter strip. He stated that option three, expanding the airport to 6,000 feet, which the Government was pursuing, would have serious consequences.

“The option which was chosen by the Government will act as a break on the development of the tourism industry in Anguilla.” He went on. “This is in the sense that the extension of the runway to 6,000 feet will go eastward to such an extent that it would make it impossible for the Conch Bay Development project to proceed.” He said the Government had made it clear that Anguillians must have a stake in the development of the island and pointed out that the project involved Anguillians and non-Anguillians. “It involves the construction of an inland marina, a golf course and a hotel… but if the Government goes ahead and extends the airport to 6,000 feet, it means that the Government in effect has taken a decision that Anguilla will be deprived of an inland marina, a golf course and a hotel facility at the upper end of The Forest,” he said. He saw this as an opportunity to have a yacht marina at that location rather than in the residential village of Sandy Ground.

Mr. Baird argued, among other things, that there was a need to know how much the national debt was before the Government could borrow the EC$40.2 million. Also the ratio of the island’s debt to the GDP; and the debt payment ratio to recurrent revenue.

The motion, the subject of a long debate by Government and Opposition speakers, was eventually passed when the vote was taken. Both Hughes and Baird objected to its passage.

The other critical motion before the House on Thursday was a declaration for the compulsory acquisition of 26 acres of land in the South East Section (of The Forest area) for a public purpose: the development and expansion of the Wallblake Airport. The proprietor of the land is Miss Bernice Lake, QC. The motion was down in the name of the Minister of Lands, Eric Reid, for presentation in the House.

The motion does not have the support of the Opposition Members. Leader of the Opposition Mr. Hughes is opposed to the Wallblake Airport expansion project in the first place and therefore to any land acquisition. Mr. Baird maintains that option one as recommended by the consultants provides enough runway space for the American Eagle ATR aircraft, and similar planes, for take off and landing with 45,500 pounds; and that in such a case, only four acres of the land needed to be acquired.

The debate on this motion on Thursday did not give The Anguillian the opportunity to report on the proceedings in the House as the newspaper goes to press on that day.

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