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NDP increased Airport fees before leaving Office

…passengers now taxed even more to finance development works
Airport Passengers now being taxed to finance development works. Photo: VINO/File
Signage at the airport outlining the new fee. Photo: Team of Reporters
Signage at the airport outlining the new fee. Photo: Team of Reporters
BEEF ISLAND, VI – The National Democratic Party (NDP1) Government days before being ousted from Office approved an Order that would see the controversial development works at the Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport on Beef Island, being financed in part by all passengers (including visitors and tourists) travelling in or out of the Virgin Islands (VI).

The development was made known on March 1, 2019 last, the day an Order was made effective to increase the charges on all passengers flying into or out of the VI by $15 per person on the Airport Development Fee (ADF).

This, according to the BVI Airports Authority (BVIAA), which made the announcement on March 1, 2019 by way of a public missive.

Cabinet Approves

According to the announcement, BVIAA said the decision was taken “in exercise of the power conferred under Section 9 of the Airports Act, 2003 (No. 16 of 2003) and acting with the approval of the Cabinet….”

The Order was Gazetted on Wednesday, February 6, 2019 last, days before the then NDP1 was ousted from power.

According to the Order, “Persons traveling on Airlines that do not include the ADF in their ticket will be required to pay same, at the Departure Tax Booth prior to proceeding through Security.”

Passengers landing on or leaving Anegada and Virgin Gorda by way of plane will also be required to pay the ADF fee at a reduced rate of $10, while inter island trips will attract a $5 ADF.

Outgoing passengers are already required to pay a $15 Departure Tax in addition to a $5 Security and the increased ADF will now bring total charges to $50 per person.

The BVIAA has also increased the fees charged for parking at the airport in another move to raise revenues to fund the controversial Airport Development Project.

21 Responses to “NDP increased Airport fees before leaving Office ”

  • Expat (03/03/2019, 07:51) Like (71) Dislike (7) Reply
    $50.00 just about covers the round trip to St.Thomas. Think I will use Cyrillic E King instead.
  • Aha! (03/03/2019, 08:05) Like (52) Dislike (5) Reply
    So if raising the fees is a bad thing the new government could lower them. Eight to five gives them that authority. Lets see what will happen.
    • @aha (03/03/2019, 11:02) Like (5) Dislike (10) Reply
      Exactly. On the campaign trail was all the these big promises but up to now no substantial ground work was given on how the revenue will be raised. The increase may not sit well with us but this same revenue will be used to fund projects.


  • pat (03/03/2019, 08:18) Like (86) Dislike (13) Reply
    Thank god the ndp is gone
  • WHAT!!! (03/03/2019, 08:36) Like (30) Dislike (2) Reply
    VIP easy reverse the charges
  • crazy (03/03/2019, 09:04) Like (30) Dislike (0) Reply
    On an average, it already cost more to travel from Beef Island to Puerto Rico than it costs for connecting flights from P.R or St Thomas to many places even if it's last minute.
    There are busy people in this world and not everyone can foresee a flight 3 or 4 months in advance to book. I have booked flights 2 or 3 days in advance and still been able to choose options from low to high. I for one cannot take motion sickness on boats, plus the time it takes to take a 25 minute flight to PR compared to the inconvenience of taking a ferry for an hour long boat ride, stand in customs for an eternity, get a taxi and sit and wait for another eternity, have at least 2 or 3 hours check in time at St thomas airport. That's a whole day just trying to save $400.00, but you pay in time. Because I could go P.R, take care of what I have to do and return to BVI in good time through Beef Island.

    I've travelled straight to Spain from P.R for less than $500.00. Flown to Panama and other international countries from P.R for similar fares. From P.R to Dominican Republic for less than $300.00, all round trip. Yet I have paid at least $600.00 roundtrip to PR from Beef Island. On a good day, you can fly Seabourne or Inter for $300-$400.00. Holy peace this is a 25 minute flight.
    Hope we don't run people from coming here because better believe It, they got options
  • tretretrete (03/03/2019, 09:17) Like (8) Dislike (9) Reply
    Don't count ur chicken before it hatch,why would vip change it when that can be away to make some money that the country need
  • tretretrete (03/03/2019, 09:22) Like (24) Dislike (11) Reply
    So that includes even children my God what a set of wicked people the NDP are Dr Pickering and Dr Smith
  • ReX FeRal (03/03/2019, 10:31) Like (25) Dislike (5) Reply
    Bastards. Straight up Bastards.
  • hmn (03/03/2019, 12:03) Like (54) Dislike (4) Reply
    Boy I tell you..that NDP government squandered soooo much of our tax payers monies and they’re still finding ways to squeeze us to pay for their projects..shameless!! God is Great.. injustice and wickedness doesn’t last forever . I pray this new government will really look out for the people and the country as a whole and not be self- serving like some of whom we had before .. money grubbing.... (you know what)
  • Hush (03/03/2019, 12:18) Like (11) Dislike (14) Reply
    so what ....VIP... have raised stuff when they were in office over the years ...and now they they have the authority to lower the fees ..so let's see what they do.
  • Lee (03/03/2019, 14:01) Like (23) Dislike (3) Reply
    The NDP gave away 7.2 million that could have been there to resurface the runway now they pass austere measures on the people traveling by air from Beef Island. That is criminal. Guess they thought they would have been in so they would not have to pay. They were trying their best to make Virgin Islanders beggars. That needs to be stopped. The populace should have been informed before such took effect. Guess if they had get China in only a chosen few would have been able to travel. They travel all over the world on taxpayers money and to date no imformation has been given to the people of this country about what the country gained from those trips. If a government worker was spending tax payers so, that person would have been locked up.
  • NezRez (03/03/2019, 15:12) Like (8) Dislike (1) Reply
    @ pat. Ok now let’s see if VIP lower it. They have the power. I hope they do not allow these increases to chase people away from here.
  • Just saying (03/03/2019, 16:21) Like (3) Dislike (2) Reply
    Kmt, everything is a problem , omg
  • Pure Rubbish (03/03/2019, 19:27) Like (5) Dislike (15) Reply
    These fees were in place since 2008 and beyond that the increase is just about 5 years old. Thank God for the NDP to finally have them enacted. The airport is in dire need of those funds
    • HHH (04/03/2019, 13:14) Like (7) Dislike (3) Reply
      Cant i meet you inperson!!?? Cause i would beat your ass for this shitty comment!!
  • Damon (03/03/2019, 19:40) Like (26) Dislike (5) Reply
    Whenever I think of the NDP it does all just make me so sick - their actions.. I agree with “lee”;. That 7.2 millions for planes we’re yet to see could have been usedor all of the other monies of ours they used.. there was really no transparency with them.. thank God the masses spoke loud and clear..they were just killing us in secret..not all were bad but they all came for the same fowl pen they all had a hand in the wrong doing.. a bunch of advantage takers but thank God He don’t sleep.. see where they are now!.. OUT!!! God don’t like Ugly..
  • island man (03/03/2019, 23:15) Like (11) Dislike (5) Reply
    There must be a god that help the people remove the oppressors call ndp. I pray to johovah never ever to see them in office again!!!


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