Bermuda?s new $2 million air ambulance was unveiled at a formal ceremony in St. David?s yesterday, with attendees paying a special tribute to the man who made it all possible. Ninety-one-year-old philanthropist David Barber, who arrived in Bermuda by boat in 1930, has donated over four million dollars to charities Island-wide since 2000 ? dedicating this latest substantial donation to the memory of his wife Mary.

The Cessna Citation S2 aircraft, which is now owned by Bermuda Air Medivac Limited (BAM), will make it possible in Bermuda for the first time to fly those in need of specialist emergency attention to the United States and Canada within only one or two hours.

Stricken patients in the past could sometimes wait for up to 24-hours before emergency transportation became available. Both Governor Sir John Vereker and Premier Alex Scott thanked Mr. Barber for his ?immense? generosity and praised the ?entrepreneurial spirit? of Eloise Bell, Irving Minors and pilot Sheldon Smith at BAM.

?It?s not often you get to take part in the ceremony to dedicate something that I think I can speak for all of us in saying we actually never want to see the inside of,? Sir John joked.

?I?d like to express on behalf of all of us here and all the Bermudians not here who may benefit from it our sincere thanks to those that have made this venture possible. May this particular plane fly long, fly safely and may all those who fly in her be brought back to good health.?

BAM?s founder Mrs. Bell, a nurse for 35 years in the emergency ward of the King Edward Memorial VII Hospital, said she had first hit upon the idea after noticing that an increasing number of patients were being airlifted to North America for specialist medical treatment not available in Bermuda.

?But it was only when my friend?s son was in ICU and had to wait 24 hours to be flown out, that I really began to pursue my goals of a Bermuda-based air ambulance,? she said.

?I approached Mr. Barber about the venture and I?m certainly glad I did! I was delighted to know that Mr. Barber was as excited about the project as I was and I?d like to thank him enormously for this wonderful gift to Bermuda.