Governance the obstacle in operation of airport

I wish to thank SACPA for the opportunity to present the case that a need for a different airport governance model is needed and the media who covered it. The overwhelming support for an independent authority to be the preferred model has been gratifying.

I want to emphasize that this is a structural issue rather than a criticism of hard-working personnel at the administrative and operation levels. In many ways, these folks are to be commended for even keeping the airport running under present constraints.

That the current model is inadequate to secure necessary funding for improvements and create incentives to attract new business is self-evident. This broken governance model needs to be repaired first — a fact that some members of the committee and many others have indicated their strong interest in.

Once the current governance obstacle has been removed, the right people can be hired to turn things around. Only then can we expect to see improvements to facilities, services and further economic development. This may first require electing representatives who are willing to put aside their personal preferences and allow the needs of the wider region to be served.

It will be interesting to see how far this appetite for change ends up going. Dale Leier Lethbridge