JOINT STATEMENT ON ACCESS: AVGAS AVAILABILITY

Her Excellency Governor Sarah Tucker and Premier, Honourable Joseph E. Farrell have issued a joint statement on Access and AVGAS availability. The statement reads as follows:

We are pleased to confirm that AVGAS is now available in Antigua, with thanks to everyone who worked collectively to resolve the issue and to manage the challenges it presented. Our thanks to the Management team at the Antigua airport for their help and commitment to ensure there is a revised process to avoid further shortages of fuel in the future. 

Both of us continue to develop the medium and longer term solutions and to have ongoing discussions with the FCDO, both at the Ministerial and official level to secure support for the future. 

You may have seen the recent industry engagement work, led by procurement to enable open discussions with airlines, to assess their availability and interest in operating in and out of Montserrat. 

This work is almost complete and has been the subject of Cabinet discussion. 

The next phase will be to run a formal procurement process to invite interested parties to submit proposals for adding, continuing or developing air transport to and from Montserrat. 

The ambition is clear, to expand the current air access and where possible enable this to offer more than one entry point to Montserrat. 

To support this, the FCDO is working with both of us to identify how the UK can best support Montserrat in responding to the complex challenge of access to the island.  

We recognise that the public would like regular updates on the process but as we enter a formal procurement stage, it will remain a confidential stage as commercially sensitive information cannot be shared, and all bidders will be bound by the same process.  

The intention is to conclude this process no later than the end of October, this year.  

In addition to this air process, there is a concurrent sea access activity in train which will follow a similar approach and timeline. 

Access is essential to the development of Montserrat, and as Premier, I assure you that my government will continue to work with all relevant parties to ensure we have the best outcome for our island’s future. My discussions continue with the UK Government in terms of sustainable support, and the Minister with responsibility for the OT’s has pledged his support to work with us to find a positive outcome. 

As Governor, I know that access is a complex challenge across the region.  Safety and security of all travellers remains the priority of my office, as is the development of Montserrat. I am pleased to be able to support the Premier and his team in finding positive ways forward for the medium term, whilst ensuring work continues on a long term solution. There is much discussion about twin otters, these planes have always been able to operate at our airport, there is a restricted payload, just as there is in some other islands, but that does not prevent them from being available. Working with the Premier, our safety regulators and the commercial airlines we continue to seek a commercially viable operation that is sustainable for Montserrat.

All enquiries should be sent to the office of the Premier/Governor’s Office.