25 Mar 2018

Brite Star Aviation is a subsidiary of Magnum Aircraft, Magnus Worldwide, which was formed in June 2016 and gave birth to Brite Star Aviation Company, says Assistant Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry, Mr Biggie Butale.

Answering a question in Parliament, Mr Butale said the first Brite Star Aviation establishment started operating in Texas in March 2017. He explained that the team from Botswana Investment and Trade centre (BITC), SPEDU and Civil Aviation Authority Botswana (CAAB) that visited Texas had the opportunity to tour Brite Aviation premises.

“The model of aircraft and components manufactured are Magnus B22 light aircraft and the company proposes to set up a group of businesses in Selebi Phikwe as follows; the aircraft manufacturing plant where B22 lightweight aircraft will be manufactured, aviation academy, the aircraft service/maintenance/repair, pilot training academy, a research and development centre and Eco safari tourism among others.

Mr Butale said ‘Brite Start Aviation operates under Magnus Aircraft of USA and is certified by the Federal Aviation Administration of USA.”

He said at this point they were not aware of any red flags that should raise alarm as the proposed development was similar to what the company was currently establishing in Malaysia.

The assistant minister said there were no commitments by the government through local financiers such as CEDA, BDC and NDB and ‘this project is purely a Foreign Direct Investment venture.’

MP for Selebi Phikwe West, Mr Dithapelo Keorapetse had wanted to know whether the minister had done a due diligence research to ascertain the authenticity of Brite Star Aviation and state if the team from BITC, SPEDU, CAAB that visited Texas toured its premises.

Mr Keorapetse also wanted to know the model of aircraft and aircraft components found to be manufactured in Texas or elsewhere considering that ‘there is no list of products it manufactures or assembles in their website and what exactly they are going to manufacture or assemble in Selebi Phikwe.

Mr Keorapetse wanted to know if the minister was aware that Brite Star Aviation neither holds approval in the US Civil Aviation Authority nor holds such approval from the Hungarian, Chinese and Malaysian civil aviation authorities where it purports to operate.

He further asked if those were red flags that should ring alarm bells. ENDS