The Caye Caulker airstrip has been closed since late last year, and probably won't re-open until the second half of this year.
The Belize Airports Authority today sent out a release saying that the renovation of the has, quote, "picked up momentum and is moving briskly to meet its completion date by mid-June of this year."
We asked the general manager for details:...
Nick Ruiz - GM, BAA
"What precipitated the close down was undulations that were forming on the runway and when it was built in 2005 - 2006, we now know that the base was not fully addressed and so you may have come and done some cosmetic work at the top you could say but it wouldn't address the problem that is really at the bottom of it all. So, this time around in Caye Caulker we have determine to go and fix the problem which is underneath the runway, digging up and filling back up and put good material and put the hot mix that you will see Jules when you go there for the inauguration. The works are moving very briskly. We would want to wrap up by the end of May, but to be sure mid-June is where we see the project coming to an end. It's a very modern, it's wider and at nigh time landing capabilities, markings have been done. Everything that you could say is an improvement, we have put it in place."
Reporter
"We know that the airlines are hemorrhaging earnings, unrealized earnings because they no longer offer that flight."
Nick Ruiz - GM, BAA
"We want to get it back open so that they can conduct business but we have had frank discussions with them and we know that to get this work done we will have to make some sacrifices in terms of revenues, loss and what not."
Caye Caulker is the second most visited destination in Belize.
The project is being partially financed by the BAA through a Social Security loan.
In other island news, the San Pedro Sun has posted video of the cold front whipping into Belize on Sunday.
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