Sir, Building an airport on St Helena is seen by many as a key factor in turning around the island’s economic fortunes (report, June 11). Obviously, using improved transport links to develop wealth-creating activities on St Helena — tourism and fishing are top of the agenda — would be the most reliable way to reverse the decline in population.
In mid-April the Department for International Development (DfID) finished a lengthy assessment of responses to its invitation for “innovative proposals” based on public-private partnerships (PPPs) for improved transport links and tourism development on St Helena. All four companies who responded to this invitation had their proposals rejected.
The Government’s consultants advocate an airport design which is not suited to the local conditions and is too expensive to construct unless the PPP element is discarded. The specification adopted by the DfID is highly likely to kill the scheme and leave this uniquely attractive island in an economic vacuum.
The most exasperating aspect of this frustrating situation is that the Civil Aviation Authority has inspected the proposal submitted under the PPP invitation and has considered it to be sufficient for the airline operation intended for it. So far, the DfID seems unwilling to get a second opinion. If this stance is maintained the people to suffer will be the St Helenians.
Yours faithfully,
V. F. THOMPSON,
92 Wordsworth Avenue, Newport Pagnell,
Buckinghamshire MK16 8RN.
June 16.