Prime Minister Gaston Browne has defended his administration’s decision to resurface the VC Bird International Airport runway at a cost of approximately US$47 million, calling it a prudent investment compared to what he described as a “rip-off” under the former United Progressive Party (UPP) government.
Speaking on Pointe FM on Saturday, Browne said the resurfacing project is set to begin within weeks and could take up to two years to complete. He emphasized that the current cost is significantly lower than the US$95 million reportedly spent by the UPP for a similar undertaking more than a decade ago.
“You recall when the UPP resurfaced the airport… it cost almost 95 million US,” Browne stated. “It jumped from 45 or 50 million to 95 million. You’d have to ask if that was a rip-off.”
While acknowledging that the UPP administration added a few thousand linear feet to the runway, Browne argued that this should not have doubled the project cost. “Even if that addition cost US$5 million—or let’s say 10—it still doesn’t explain how the final figure reached US$95 million,” he said.
The resurfacing contract under Browne’s administration will involve mobilization of heavy equipment over the coming weeks, with the government citing the need to maintain safety standards and modernize critical infrastructure.
Browne used the comparison to highlight what he called the opposition’s hypocrisy in raising concerns about public spending while failing to account for what he described as inflated costs during their tenure. “They plundered the country,” he said. “And now they want to come back and do it all over again.”
The Prime Minister did not name the contractor involved in the resurfacing project but reiterated that the deal represented value for money and was essential to the country’s aviation infrastructure.
No response has yet been issued by the UPP regarding Browne’s claims.
