Businesses requested to remove airport road signage

AIRPORT (Wednesday, May 19, 2010) Businesspeople who have been requested to relocate their signage to allow for speedy progress of ongoing airport runway expansion works, have shown all willingness to work with airport authorities. During a meeting Wednesday morning with management of the Princess Juliana International Airport Operating Company (PJIAE), Managers of BadaBing, Mary’s Boon Hotel, Neverland Restaurant, Rent 4 Less Car Rental and The Horny Toad Guesthouse, showed much appreciation for the upgrade that the ongoing RESA construction east of the airport runway means to the area. “This expansion of the airport runway is a unique development and we’re happy to support,” said Badabing owner Jaap van de Heuvel. Generally, the business people appreciated that the airport company took the time to brief them on the project.
 

The briefing was chaired by Mr. Mirto Breell, Director of PJIAE’s Technical Division, with support of the Manager and personnel of PJIAE’s Marketing and Communications Department. Mr. Breell explained that the Runway Extension Safety Area (RESA) follows a mandate of the International Civil Aviation Association (ICAO), which required PJIAE to shift the airport runway threshold and associated marking and lighting, 70 meters to the east. “RESA’s are located at the runway extremity and are intended to reduce the risk of damage to an airplane overshooting or overrunning the runway,” Mr. Breell explained.

Construction company MNO Vervat started on March 8 2010 with the construction works, which includes removal of the existing road and utilities and relocating the fence. “We expect the project to complete by the start of the season, by November this year,” said Director Breell.

As their signage has to be removed to facilitate the works, PJIAE Management decided to invite the businesspeople to attend the briefing in the airport’s conference room Wednesday morning. PJIAE also offered the businesses assistance with removing the signage; the businesses will then have to apply at Island Government for new licenses to erect them again.

At the briefing the business people eagerly took advantage of the opportunity to ask questions about the airport development and how it would affect the area and left the meeting satisfied. “We’re very happy that PJIAE took the time to invite us. I hope the rest of the process goes as comfortable as this,” said Elizabeth (Betty Vaughan of the Horny Toad Guesthouse.

“It fits within our notions of corporate governance to update our neighbours and ultimately the nation about developments regarding our nation’s airport,” remarked drs. Eugene Holiday, President of PJIAE.