PLYMOUTH, Montserrat – The Programme Management Office (PMO), together with the Ministry of Communication, Works, Energy and Labour (MCWEL), announced that the runway surface at the John A. Osborne Airport, under the Airport Runway Resurfacing Project has secured agreement to proceed to the construction phase. This follows the successful completion of the detailed design for the new runway surface undertaken earlier this year by AVIA NG Inc. Airport Consultants in Canada.
The Montserrat steering committee has now approved the specific allocation of funding from the Capital Investment Programme for Resilient Economic (CIPREG) programme for the team to proceed to the procurement phase for the construction element of the project.
Head of the programme management office, Martin Parlett said he is pleased to see another CIPREG project progressing successfully into the next phase of delivery and he noted the significant impact the project will have for Montserrat.
“The runway resurfacing project will not only restore regulatory confidence in Montserrat’s John A. Osborne airport operations, it will enable important long term improvements to our air access. The MCWEL team, with technical support from Avia NG Inc., are doing a sterling job of ensuring that the airport team, and our regulatory body ASSI, are engaged and supportive. The team will continue to communicate with the public and relevant stakeholders on plans for any closure of the airport later this year,” expressed Martin Parlett.
Interested persons will be invited to tender on the construction phase of this project, later this month (March) when the invitation for tenders will be issued.
Director (Ag), public works department, Rawlson Patterson explained the scope of work and the scheduled stage of implementation. He said, “The government of Montserrat is proposing to improve the surface friction of the runway and maintain the integrity of the Aerodrome. This would primarily involve the milling of the runway and replacing it with a new asphalt surface. The project is currently on schedule with the 90 percent design works completed by the Technical Consultants of Avia NG Inc. and the intention is to go out to tender before the end of March 2020.
The implementation is scheduled for the third quarter of the government of Montserrat’s financial year 2020/21, and it takes into consideration the mobilization period, the tropical hurricane season and end of year festival.”
The resurfacing works are currently scheduled for completion in early November 2020, however specific dates will be confirmed once the resurfacing contractor has been engaged.
Air Safety Support International (ASSI) is a key regulatory stakeholder and remains fully engaged and supportive of the design and Project approach.
Under the Montserrat Capital Investment Programme for Resilient Economic Growth (CIPREG), the UK government will provide up to £30 million over five years (2018- 2023) for strategic infrastructure development on Montserrat, to support economic growth, enhance resilience against natural disasters and promote the role of the private sector.
