today, says Transport Minister the Hon. Maxwell Burgess.

Mr. Burgess made that prediction after returning from a regional Aiport conference in the Dominican Republic where privatisation was the main topic.

"I think anybody who takes a (photograph) of the present Airport will have a collector's item,'' Mr. Burgess told The Royal Gazette .

Now estimated to cost Government about $20 million a year, Mr. Burgess said it is hoped the Airport will be breaking even by the turn of the century.

Airports face three options, he said: Outright privatisation, in which the Airport is sold to private shareholders and the state has only regulatory control; The state commercialises the Airport's activities and has it run through an Airport authority or quango (quasi-autononomous non-governmental organisation); or Continuing to run the Airport from the Government Ministry or department.

"We will be working out the process through the Government to look at what option best suits Bermuda, with the help of our consultant'' -- YVR of Vancouver, Canada, Mr. Burgess said.

Whatever decision is made will be put in place over the next three years, he said.

To date, Government has been looking most closely at option two and forming a quango. But Mr. Burgess said commercialisation -- a term he prefers to privatisation -- does not have to await a quango.

"The Airport as we speak is taking on a commercial look,'' he said. "It's not as if nothing is happening.'' Airport security, air traffic control, some maintenance work, ramp services, and airline food catering were already commercialised, he said. "In large measure, we're well along the way.'' As for other specific changes that will be made at the Airport, Mr. Burgess said he did not want to pre-empt recommendations in a report from YVR which is expected in September. Mr. Gordon and other officials from YVR -- which is credited with turning Vancouver International Airport into a money-maker - are managing Bermuda's Airport under contract.

"The user pay theory is becoming far more universal at airports,'' he said.

"I don't think we ought to be any exception.'' While "some tough decisions will have to be made, if they're supported I think we can break even.'' Along with Airport general manager Mr. Jack Gordon, Mr. Burgess recently attended the Fifth Annual Regional Conference of Latin American and Caribbean Airports.