Fencing repairs now taking place at the L.F. Wade International Airport are not in response to Tuesday's security breach, according to airport general manager Aaron Adderley.

Workers were spotted yesterday repairing perimeter fencing at the east end facility.

Mr. Adderley said it was part of an ongoing project.

The airport was put on lockdown on Tuesday after a man breached security by entering a restricted area. Bomb squads, fire trucks and Police were all called to the scene, with two flights grounded, after a former airport worker was said to have been spotted trying to access a plane at 4 a.m.

A 31-year-old Warwick man has since been arrested and taken into Police custody.

Mr. Adderley told the media on Tuesday that security would now be stepped up as a result.

He said storms had damaged the fence, leaving "susceptible areas" and the airport did not have "the financial resources to fix them all at once".

Yesterday, he said: "The fencing has been undergoing repairs now for a couple of weeks. It's an ongoing process."

Asked if the repairs were in response to the security breach, he said: "No. The condition of the fence has long been identified as something that is in need of repair. It was damaged after Hurricane Igor. It's been damaged in storms of the past. It's an ongoing exercise to correct and replace fencing that's been damaged."

He continued: "I would like to have funding to replace the entire fencing but considering the fact that the fencing covers 600 acres of land, you can imagine the cost associated with doing that. We have to do what we can with the resources that we have. It's also important to note that the perimeter fencing is the first line of defence.

"There are additional layers of security that follow the fencing line. That said, the management and staff of the airport do all that they can in terms of refurbishment work to address the most susceptible areas.

"The Ministry will continue to prioritise maintenance projects and comply with all regulatory requirements as our utmost focus is ensuring that all our borders, including our airport borders, are safe, secure and protected."

Meanwhile, Shadow Works and Engineering Minister Pat Gordon-Pamplin yesterday claimed Tuesday's breach was an example of Government's "reckless overspending".

"What caught our attention was the statement by [Mr. Adderley] who said his department did not have 'the financial resources to fix' openings in the airport fence 'all at once'," she said. "This was an extraordinary admission that showed the Government's reckless spending is limiting its ability to perform basic functions."

Mrs. Gordon-Pamplin said it appeared the airport fence has been degraded by storms over time allowing people to "literally walk onto the airfield", adding that the fence was installed in the 1990s to meet international airfield security requirements.

Failure to maintain it could jeopardise the Island's reputation, Mrs. Gordon-Pamplin said, adding: "We urge Government to move with speed to correct the situation."