THIS is where the motivation for the runway extension is!

I have said it several times before, and recent events support this more than ever. This is a good read: http://globalnews.ca/news/2628502/what-d...-panama-papers. Excerpt:
"More than half the 200,000 offshore companies set up by the Mossack Fonseca law firm, including ones owned by the father of British Prime Minister David Cameron and relatives of Chinese leader Xi Jinping, were registered in the BVI, according to reports co-ordinated by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists"

We are all deluding ourselves when we think the lengthening of the runway is about flying in 737s from the US. As George explains very clearly, just refueling a regular medium-haul air service would be very hard. And building a runway over a lagoon that lands 737s, for a population of 30,000 residents and a few cost-conscious tourists? Ludicrous! In particular, with STT right next door. Not gonna happen.

We are also deluding ourselves if we think we play an important role in the economy of the BVI. Sorry I have to break it to you, this is all window dressing. Yes, there are a bunch of people earning their living by cleaning villas and fixing charter boats but that is chump change compared to the REAL money that is being made.

You can read where the money in the BVI comes from in the Panama papers.

This whole airport story has absolutely nothing to do with tourism. Tourists can fly conveniently to STT or SJU or SXM and take a short flight or ferry. But the important people (for the BVI government) cannot do that because the last thing they want to do is to go through a first-world immigration line, with their suitcases subject to search by first world customs.

What these people need is to fly their private jets _directly_ from South America or the Middle East and not be bothered to show their face, passport or briefcase to US or EU officials. The length of the current runway allows them to land but not to take off.

THAT is the problem for the BVI government, not whether you do or don't like taking the ferry from STT.

Their planes don't need gazillions of gallons to refuel (and they couldn't care less about the gas price), and they don't need a runway that can withstand regular landings by commerical jets. Just give them a place to fly directly in and out, and to head straight to their shell company offices.