Airport general manager Marshall Minors broke his silence this week over his imminent departure to reveal he is about to set up his own business with his brother.

Mr. Minors will leave the airport at the end of the year to form a partnership with his brother Michael in house maintenance, project management and engineering services.

He said: "I'm very excited about the future. People who know me well know that I had set a deadline for myself that when I reached 47-years-of-age I would have my own business.

"Well, I was 47 last Saturday, so I have made the deadline. I have been planning it for a number of years and am looking forward to working with my brother.'' Mr. Minors, who had worked for Government in a variety of roles since 1972, said he had enjoyed his time in the Civil Service, but felt it was time to move on.

He added: "After 27 years, with the Government experience I have, I felt now was the right time. I thought that if I didn't take the bold step now to work at grass roots level, I probably never would. I'm not getting any younger.

"I have enjoyed my time in Government and have had an opportunity to work in so many different areas of engineering. I think I have had a career that has been the envy of quite a few Bermudian engineers and the last six years at the airport have been very rewarding for me.

"But now I want to take the opportunity to partner with my brother and move ahead with the business.'' Mr. Minors joined Government as a carpentry apprentice in the Public Works Department in 1972.

A graduate of Bermuda Technical Institute, he studied engineering in the UK between 1977 and 1979 and completed a degree in civil engineering at Technical University of Nova Scotia in 1983.

During his tenure in Government he achieved a number of career highlights, including: Project engineer for Palmetto Road in 1976 and the reconstruction of Somerset Bridge in 1979/80.

Part of the design team for the Town Cut Training Wall.

Construction engineer for the Co-ed facility and St. Brandan's Hospital renovations.

Project engineer, Berkeley Institute playing field and demolition of the old Watford Bridge.

In 1994, Mr. Minors was seconded from the Ministry of Works and Engineering to be the infrastructure manager for the Military Bases Transition Office.

When the transition process was complete, he was appointed project manager for the airport infrastructure improvements.

In 1999, he was designated Airport General Manager to succeed Jack Gordon.

Transport Minister Ewart Brown this week paid tribute to Mr. Minors.

He said the long-time employee had played a major role in the development of the airport.

He said: "Marshall was part of the team that engineered the successful transition of the airport from a military airport to a commercial airport, which meets the required international standards for serving commercial and private aircraft every day.

"He took a particular interest in the overall development of the airport and worked hard to help develop it as it is today.

"We appreciate his significant contribution to Government and wish him well in all his future endeavours in the private sector.'' The Royal Gazette reported last week how Dr. Brown is looking to find a suitable Bermudian to fill the post of General Manager at the airport.

The two Marshall brothers have set up the parent company Bermuda Building Services Company Limited, but one of their major objectives will be the residential maintenance division, which will be called Maintenance To Go.

He added: "We are hoping to address all these contracts that the big contractors are not interested in.

"We think there is a gap in the market and we are hoping to fill it with a quality service.'' BUSINESS BUC