Cost of airport misleading

THE EDITOR: Ever so often as the subject of the (new) “airport” slips into public focus, colossal price tags are mentioned. These vary from $1.2 billion, all the way up to $1.6 billion, but do not define whether the figures refer to the terminal building alone, or the whole complex. In any event, the figures obviously all can’t be right, but they are nonetheless dutifully trotted out in order to make a desired impact. This has encouraged me to look into my files as I felt certain I had previously submitted airport cost figures that were published in the dailies, and has not been challenged. Sure enough I came across the story and yes, indeed, it had been published, and this is what the first paragraph said in November of 2000.

“The new airport terminal building at Piarco will be the largest in the English-speaking Caribbean, even though its $440 million price tag is markedly less than that of present airport expansions in Barbados, $575 million; Jamaica $630 million and Maiquetia, Venezuela, $882 million. The obvious question arises: why the big difference between $440 million and $1.2 billion? The difference, I was told is the additional cost of the extensive site-works. In the first place, the site of the (new) airport and services was a marsh. It had been chosen for its convenient location, and space, by the Albert Gomes government prior to the arrival of the PNM in 1956; and was accepted and initial preparations made by the government of Patrick Manning in his earlier incarnation as PM.

No large structure or heavy aircraft, however, could be accommodated on a marsh substratum. The first order of the day was to excavate several acres to a depth of more than 10 feet. Hundreds of truckloads of marsh ground were removed. The excavation then had to be refilled with fresh soil, compacted, and raised higher than the original level to accept driveways, car parks, terminal building, huge aprons, taxiways etc. All of this involved separate costs not to be confused with the terminal building itself with its many appurtenances. By definition, therefore, it is incorrect to say “the airport” costs $1.2 or $1.6 billion when referring to the terminal, which on the basis on unchallenged figures was the cheapest “terminal” among many in the region.

LLOYD CARTAR
Westmoorings