Chamber addresses airport, road concerns

Members of the Bay St. George Chamber of Commerce passed two motions at their March 9 meeting in support of Stephenville International Airport and upgrades to Whites Road.

"Since 2007, the airport has been in bankruptcy protection," said Chamber member Tom Rose before introducing the motion. "[W]e have an airport corporation that's trying to find a solution and I thought it might be fit for this Chamber to ... support the airport corporation in their negotiations to find a solution for the airport."

The motion put forward was that "the Chamber of Commerce, Bay St. George, support in principle the Stephenville Airport Corporation as they continue to negotiate with a third party, KAZ Aviation, a foreign direct investment company, for the management and operations of the Stephenville International Airport."

After the motion passed, it was asked why should the Chamber support KAZ, after media reports stated the corporation had recently shut its operations in Kissimmee, Florida.

Mr. Rose said KAZ's facility in Florida was used primarily for executive jet operations, and with the downturn in the US economy, there were less of these jets availing of the airport. He added KAZ might be interested in the Stephenville airport with military cargo and larger type airplanes.

Mr. Rose also put forward the second motion.

"In the past five years, we have not seen any improvement to White's Road," he said, noting a span of road near Gull Pond does not meet provincial requirements for secondary roads.

"And I think it's time now for the Chamber to push to have some changes made," he said. "So my motion is to move that the Chamber write a letter to the provincial minister of transport ... for the consideration to upgrade Whites Road, in particular, the roadway from Gull Pond into Stephenville - as part of this year's provincial road and maintenance program."

The Chamber members passed the motion.

Chamber President Debbie Brake Patton added in recent pre-budget consultations, the Chamber addressed both the airport and road situations with the province's finance minister.

"The Chamber can yes, send a letter to the government, but we also have our elected MHA and minister and we have to start pounding on their doors and they're the ones who brings the message back to the minister," added Dr. Brake Patton.

Mr. Rose then said MHAs Tony Cornect and Joan Burke should be carbon-copied on the letter to the finance minister. Dr. Brake Patton agreed.

editor@thegeorgian.ca