Executive Council has approved a resolution to acquire the land on which the Virgin Gorda airport is located, it was announced here this week.
Government has been in negotiation with the owners of the airport, Little Dix Bay Resort, for some time now regarding the acquisition of the airport. However, agreement could not be reached on a purchase figure. Government offered $1.6M, while Little Dix Bay wanted $3M. Little Dix has publicly stated that they were not in the airport business, but rather in the hotel business. Government reportedly felt their asking price was excessive and the negotiations became deadlocked.

In the meantime, a study was conducted by Sir William Halcrow & Partners, who advised government on what improvements needed to be made for the airport to be brought up to international standards. Chief Minister the Honourable Ralph T. O’Neal reported that the land to be acquired by government comprises approximately 38 acres and is registered in the Virgin Gorda south registration section of the land register as parcel 20 of block 4940B.

The resolution now has to be taken to the Legislative Council at the next meeting, a date for which has not yet been set. If passed, the Clerk of the Executive Council would have to make an order, which would be published in two consecutive issues of The Gazette. Following this, the land would rest in the Crown and government would then be able to take possession and begin to make the improvements.

“Now, there’s going to be some obstacles to overcome,” Chief Minister O’Neal anticipated. “We are prepared to overcome them; our aim is to have an airport on Virgin Gorda that will meet the international requirements.”
He said government would continue to make representations on behalf of the territory, to negotiate the terms of operation of the Virgin Gorda Airport. He noted that the British Civil Aeronautics Authority would be handing over most of its work to the International Civil Aeronautics Organization in November, so the BVI would have to negotiate with them to ensure the airport meets the international requirements.“But we are convinced that the airport is necessary; it’s important for the people of Virgin Gorda; they expect to have the airport and we have to try and fulfil their expectations,” Hon. O’Neal declared.

He said the territory on a whole would benefit from the development of the Virgin Gorda airport. The improvements call for a lengthening of the runway northwards by about 1,000 feet and considering whether to surface it, acquiring more land space, blasting at the southern end or shifting the direction of the airport and some widening of the area. “In all that, although we have had the advise of Sir Halcrow & Partners, we will get an expert again to work with us to make sure that we do it correctly,” the Chief Minister stated.