– on track for August deadline
The Matthews Ridge Airstrip upgrade project in Region One (Barima-Waini) is now 70 per cent complete and remains on schedule for completion in August 2026, President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali announced on Wednesday.
Phase One of the project delivered a 2,200-foot reinforced concrete runway along with taxiways, an aircraft parking apron, runway lighting and markings.
Those parts have been completed, the president said in a statement posted on his official social media page.
Phase Two is progressing despite adverse weather conditions and will add a further 2,000 feet, bringing the total runway length to 4,200 feet.
The upgraded airstrip will accommodate larger aircraft, including Beechcraft-type planes, and will be equipped to support 24-hour operations. The project is expected to strengthen connectivity, emergency and medivac services, and economic development across Region One.
Approximately 50 skilled and unskilled workers from the community are employed in the construction phase. It is being built at an approximate cost of $800 million.
The airstrip is a critical transportation link for the manganese mining community and aims to drive economic growth for residents.