This is according to Minister for Natural Resources and Labour, Dr. Kedrick Pickering at a meeting held on March 29, 2012 at the Sir Rupert Briercliffe Hall in response to a question posed by a resident as to whether or not there will be “a great impact on taxes” when the Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport is extended.

“Right now the BVI has one of the highest taxes for passengers outbound and inbound in comparison to some surrounding countries…the taxes are fairly high at this time. Would there be a great impact on the taxes?” the resident inquired.

To this end, Hon. Pickering stated that those are resolutions the Government would have to make. “…decisions will be taken when all the relevant information is available to Government of the day,” he added.

Furthermore, the hangers, which will be moved in one of the expansion phases, will have to be ironed out in detail, Hon. Pickering said.

“No formal design has been undertaken as yet because all of those issues depend on the environmental impact assessment,” he stressed.

The Ministry held two town hall meetings to get the feedback of the pending airport expansion and according Hon. Pickering a decision has already been made to go forward with the project.

Option six, which will cost Government an estimated $38M, is expected to have the runway extended to some 7,000 feet from 4,000 plus feet, and accommodate AB 390, 320 and the Embrea 190. This option will also reduce the environmental impact, which would save the salt ponds and beach, reduce crosswinds, and accommodate code C and D aircrafts.

However, the disadvantages include higher weather minimums- meaning jets would have to use a height of about 1,290 feet and the runway must be visual, as well as the circling approach. The concerns are that future widening will have an environmental impact on Trellis Bay and salt ponds.