St. Vincent and the Grenadines Enhances Information System at Airport
5 August 2004
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| "We gave the department a fully-fledged system to achieve its objectives." |
The Government of St Vincent and the Grenadines has improved the information system at its main E T Joshua Airport in Arnos Vale, 3km south-east of the capital Kingston, with technical assistance from the Commonwealth Secretariat.
Commending the programme, Alastair Alexander, St Vincent and the Grenadines ' Director of Airports, noted: "The Division of Airports, Ministry of National Security, is satisfied that Mr Sam comprehensively addressed the issue of data collection, revenue collection, financial indicators, integration of statistical, financial and operational information systems, training and the development of user and administrative manuals. In particular, the airline billing process is now much more efficient."
Under the three-month project, which concluded on 14 July 2004, the Government also reviewed the existing computer network system of its Airports Development Department for optimisation. The programme was implemented by the Secretariat's Governance and Institutional Development Division (GIDD) with resources from the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Co-operation (CFTC).
Information technology adviser Rexford Sam, who carried out the assignment, said: "We gave the department a fully-fledged system to achieve its objectives. The project left behind a complete information system. People can now sit at different terminals and access all types of information depending on the task at hand."
Mr Sam previously worked on a Secretariat/CFTC project in January 2002, advising the Lesotho Government on computerising its Immigration Department.
The assignment in St Vincent and the Grenadines was aimed at increasing efficiency, effectiveness, speed, coherence and integration within the department. Mr Sam, a systems analyst, was based at E T Joshua Airport, which handles between 70 and 80 flights a day. The Airport Development Department manages and services four regional airports -- the main E T Joshua Airport and three others on the Grenadines islands of Bequia, Canouan and Union Island .
"Among the areas we looked at were developing and integrating databases, organising finances and accounts, recording air traffic movements more effectively with a view to getting better statistical information and maximising revenue collection," Mr Sam said.
He also examined data recording and integration and financial indicators, and introduced more efficient methods of administration.
Several airport personnel, including staff from air traffic control, meteorology, security and administration, who received training under the project, are now instructing staff in the three other airports.
"Since the expert was able to train a number of nationals during the tenure of his assignment, they can now independently implement the system which was introduced. It is encouraging and heartening to note that the department will have long-term sustainable benefits from this project," observed Françoise Chapman, GIDD's Chief Programme Officer for the Caribbean .
Problems were identified in several areas and rectified, including streamlining of the preparation of airline invoices -- a process which had earlier been laborious and error-prone. The methods of recording flight numbers and passenger data were also addressed. The system now includes air traffic statistics, management of accounts, an efficient credit control and billing system, and better reporting mechanisms. All these measures will contribute to better planning, strategy and operational decisions.
With new integrated databases, aircraft movement and other information can now be retrieved faster, when it took one month previously. This has facilitated swifter decision-making as the breadth of information is easily retrieved from the enhanced information system.
CNIS - the Commonwealth News and Information Service Issue 195 4 August 2004
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