The Ministry of Communications and Works said the British Virgin Islands Airports Authority has been elevated to a governing member of Airports Council International–Latin America and the Caribbean, with Minister Kye M. Rymer and BVIAA Managing Director Kurt A. G. Menal noting the appointment’s relevance to runway and terminal expansion plans announced by the government.
“This appointment is both an important recognition of the BVIAA’s achievements and a strategic opportunity for the Virgin Islands,” Mr. Rymer said. “As we advance our runway extension and airport expansion programme, the strengthened regional ties and direct access to global expertise provided through ACI–LAC will help accelerate our efforts to deliver a modern, safe, and internationally compliant airport.”
Mr. Menal represented the authority at the ACI–LAC annual conference in Trinidad, where the appointment was formalised, the ministry said.
According to the ministry, governing-member status provides access to technical cooperation, international best practices in airport design and operations, and engagement with funding and partnership networks. The BVIAA plans to apply insights on air-service liberalisation, sustainability and airport modernisation to its runway and terminal planning to meet international standards.
The ministry said the membership also offers technical assistance, knowledge sharing and capacity-building programmes in project management, procurement and operational readiness. Those initiatives are expected to inform engineering, environmental mitigation and phased construction for planned upgrades, as well as broaden access to regional partners and financing mechanisms.
“This milestone, achieved under the stewardship of Mr. Menal and the BVIAA team, strengthens our capacity to deliver an expanded airport that meets global standards and supports sustainable growth,” Mr. Rymer said.
