$320M face lift for T&T airports

Trinidad and Tobago's two international airports are getting a $320 million face lift that would include an ungraded lighting system for both airports, a rehabilitated runway at Crown Point, and a business park and a new 251-room Raddison Hotel in Tobago.

Works Minister Colm Imbert made the announcement Thursday at a post-cabinet news briefing.

He said the Airports Authority has approval for the enhancement projects, which include land development for infrastructure north of the existing Crown Point terminal building.

It would involve roads, drainage, electricity and other infrastructure works to facilitate the construction of a new building for the Meteorological Services, a new office complex and the new hotel, which would be built and managed by the Primis Corporation, an international company with local offices in St James.

Imbert also announced expenditure of $163 million for 13 new drainage projects.

Commenting on the perennial flooding problem in Port of Spain, the minister said it is caused by the heavy construction activity. He said consultants have been working on a long-term plan to alleviate the situation but noted that in order to fix the problem and implement the plan some buildings would have to torn down and other relocated.

He pointed out that the current drainage system is nearly 60 years old but explained that once drains are cleaned every six months, the problem would remain in check.

Imbert said the problem is because of the sea level and a drainage system that is too small to handle the volume of water.