Minister of Transport and Aviation Glenys Hanna-Martin has scolded a local daily and called an article that was published in yesterday’s paper “bogus” and “utterly false.”

Her comments came in response to an article published by the Tribune titled “Hundreds of millions in flyover fees lost by PLP” citing the Ministry of Transport and Aviation’s indifferent approach to an “overflight” revenue sharing agreement with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has cost The Bahamas’ cash strapped Public Treasury potentially hundreds of millions of dollars in fees.

In a press conference held yesterday at the Ministry of Transport and Aviation, Mrs. Hanna-Martin aimed to set the record straight.

“The claims made by the tribune that the PLP only began to initiate a discussion for a Bahamian (FIR) in 2014 is completely false.

“Months following the FAA’s 2006 proposal, the Christie administration lost at the polls and the Ingraham administration was at the helm, it was during this 2007-2012 period that there was a drastic shift in policy to the extent that the then prime minister said The Bahamas would never be able to control its own airspace.

“It is interesting that the recent breakthrough in over flight fees did not meet the standard for the front page of a tribune article but was pushed to the business section and further subordinated to the negative commentary of an aviation commentator.

“However, today’s bogus story found its way to the front page,” Mrs. Hanna- Martin said.

 Mrs. Hanna-Martin also took the opportunity give an update on the ongoing negotiations with the FAA.

“I wish to assure the Bahamian public that as long as I’m in a position to do so, I will fearlessly and without compromise pursue the interest of the Bahamian people and in that regard.

“I expect to make an announcement in recent weeks as negotiations continue on the terms of management of The Bahamas’ airspace by the FAA, the delineation of the FIR and arrangements of collection of fees from users of the Bahamian airspace,” Mrs. Hanna-Martin said.

Earlier this month, The Bahamas and the United States reached a “landmark agreement” which will exempt Bahamian aircraft operators from payment of overflight flees to the U.S.FAA.

Under international laws and conventions, countries require airlines and other aircraft to pay a fee for the right to overfly their airspace, the administration of these rights has been previously performed by the United States Government via the FAA.