A COMPANY is flying high after winning a contract worth £28.8 million to build a major airport complex in the Caribbean. Kier Construction, which has its headquarters at Tempsford Hall in Sandy, will build the new terminal building at Jamaica s Norman Man

A COMPANY is flying high after winning a contract worth £28.8 million to build a major airport complex in the Caribbean.

Kier Construction, which has its headquarters at Tempsford Hall in Sandy, will build the new terminal building at Jamaica's Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston, a portion of which will be available in time for the 2007 Cricket World Cup.

Norman Manley International Airport is the major gateway linking Jamaica's capital city Kingston to destinations worldwide.

Around 1.6 million passengers travelled through the airport last year and the addition of the Kier-built 10,000 square metre departure concourse will increase the capacity to accommodate the projected annual growth of between three and four per cent through to 2012.

Kier Construction will also build the addition of the second level to the existing passenger pier, which allows passengers access from the terminal to the aircraft as well as renovation work to the existing terminal building.

The total expansion will encompass the ticketing and departure concourse, access roadways and public car parks, reconfiguration of the customs hall to ensure more efficient passenger movement and the creation of a cargo village to facilitate improved cargo handling operations.

Completion of the project will pave the way for further development of hotels and conference facilities around the airport.

David Myers, managing director of Kier Caribbean and Industrial, said: "We are delighted to have won this contract.

"Jamaica will be hosting the opening ceremony for the 2007 Cricket World Cup and the first phase of the works, which are to be carried out in two phases, will provide a much-needed boost to passenger capacity ahead of the expected influx of cricket tourists.

"The contract will consolidate our position as a leading player in the region and complement our ongoing industrial projects.