Two months after three people were killed in a runway accident on Mayaguana, repairs on that runway are set to begin, and are expected to be completed within 12 weeks, Minister of Transport and Aviation Glenys Hanna-Martin said yesterday.

The government recently met with the I-Group's project manager and contractor and agreed on the timeline for completion, weather permitting, Hanna-Martin said.

She said the work will start next week Tuesday.

 "The Ministry of Works and Urban Development along with the Ministry of Transport and the Department of Civil Aviation will closely monitor the work to completion," she said in a statement.

"It is anticipated that on completion, Bahamasair will recommence regularly scheduled flights to that island."

She also said, "It is to be noted that construction work on the Mayaguana runway has been substantially stalled for a period of years, thereby negatively impacting airlift to that southern island."

A runway accident at that airport on April 4 triggered widespread discussion over why some Family Island runways in The Bahamas still do not have lights, something Hanna-Martin has pledged to address.

 Former Cabinet minister Sidney Collie's mother, sister and brother-in-law were killed when a twin-engine plane crashed into their truck on the runway around 1 a.m.

They were using the truck lights to light the runway for a LeAir charter plane, which was making an emergency medical flight to the island for Collie's uncle.

In the days following the tragedy, Hanna-Martin and MICAL MP V. Alfred Gray blamed the Ingraham administration's restructuring of the agreement for the controversial I-Group development in Mayaguana for the lack of runway lights.

 Under the I-Group agreement, developers are responsible for the refurbishment of the airport and runway.

 They said the runway lights were not functioning because of the I-Group's ongoing work.

At the time, Hanna-Martin pledged to install lights at the airport and said the process could take at least six weeks.

 At the six-week mark, May 16, she said the process would take another two weeks

. "I had said about six weeks and we are a little off it and we are looking at another two weeks, but we are moving expeditiously to get this accomplished," she said.

"The lights were acquired through a tender process with companies in the United States that provide solar lights."

 Yesterday, Hanna-Martin said temporary emergency lights had been delivered to Mayaguana.

She also said the Department of Civil Aviation has purchased permanent solar lights that will be installed on completion of the runway.

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