Meet Sitara English-Byfield

WESTERN BUREAU:

Mention Mount Salem, St James, and a community rocked by gang violence may enter the minds of many Jamaicans. However, Sitara English-Byfield, the newly appointed chief executive officer (CEO) of PAC Kingston Airport Limited (PACKAL), is bent on changing that perspective.

In fact, she has created history by being the first Jamaican and the first female to steer the Mexican company, which operates the Norman Manley International Airport (NMIA) in Kingston. She assumed the office on April 1, 2024.

Becoming CEO, Byfield shared with The Sunday Gleaner, is an accomplishment she never expected, though nothing was unachievable for the 45-year-old woman whose mother encouraged and protected her from the many social ills that ruptured in and around Mount Salem.

“It was not difficult for me growing up in Mount Salem because of my mother. She was very strict,” noted Byfield, sharing that her mother limited her social interactions with wayward members of the community.

“At the same time, the citizens of Mount Salem were very caring of children in the area. So we did not feel unsafe walking to and from school. The taxi drivers in Mount Salem took special care of the children.”

The only girl for her parents, Byfield is the eldest of three siblings. She has always been a beacon of inspiration for her brothers.

Byfield holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Economics and a master's degree in economics, both from the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona. She also holds a postgraduate diploma in Finance and Financial Law.

Additionally, Byfield was named among twelve members of western Jamaica's business community, who, in 2016, were appointed to the UWI's Western Jamaica Campus Ambassador Corps.

That appointment was given to individuals with commendable contributions to nation-building.

She started her career at PAC as the Director of Finance and Administration. For eight months leading up to her current post, she was part of a three-member team tasked with the transition of the Kingston airport management.

As finance director, Byfield was responsible for the preparation of and reporting the company's finances, as well as its procurement and commercial dealings.

'SUPPORT FROM A GREAT TEAM'

Last week, Byfield told The Sunday Gleaner that she embarks on her new role as CEO of PACKAL with mixed emotions. Nevertheless, she is confident in her leadership abilities.

“There is some amount of nervousness because I have never worked at this level before. There is also some excitement because I've always had ideas that I want to put in place,” she said.

“There is also the confidence that I have the necessary support from a great team.”

Byfield will lead some 130 employees, overseeing the commute of more than 1.7 million passengers yearly, and the operation of roughly 30 concessioners inside one of the country's main airports.

“I've always enjoyed what I do, which is finance and accounting, and so the CEO (position) was never on my list of things to get to,” she said, laughing. “But I'm grateful and I'm pleased that others saw my potential and saw enough in me to appoint me to this position.”

She added, “My mother always told me that I can work and get to wherever I want to get to as long as I put my mind to it.”

Byfield said her vision is to continue to improve the operations by overseeing the efficient and timely execution of ongoing and upcoming projects. She also aims to continue building rapport and camaraderie among staff members.

“It is my intention to work with fellow airport stakeholders to improve the service provided to our passengers and to grow air service from Kingston to other parts of the world to become one of the leading Caribbean airports. I also want to continue with sustainable initiatives to build on our environmentally friendly track record, as we are ISO14001 certified company,” she explained.

Nicole Burgher, director of cultural, human capital and compliance at PACKAL, describes Byfield as a dedicated individual passionate about the airport business.

“She has proven to be very effective in her previous roles during the transition year before taking over NMIA, and as Director of Finance since commencement of operations by PAC Kingston Airport Limited. She has also expressed a keen desire to see Kingston become a leading airport in the Caribbean,” offered Burgher.

TEARS OF JOY

No one is prouder of Byfield than her 'aunt' Lucille Gooden, who broke down and cried tears of joy.

“It brought tears to my eyes to see how she has excelled. I expected her to do well. She has a brilliant mind, and as a high achiever we knew she would do exceptionally well,” Gooden told The Sunday Gleaner, still marvelling at the woman she held as a baby.

“Sitara was very quiet as a child who was an avid lover of books, took up the newspaper and read in her own language. She became excited when you dressed her up and combed her hair. She was well-behaved and really a model child.”

Byfield, a past student of Montego Bay High School, is celebrated by those who remember her as an assistant lecturer of Managerial Economics and a tutor of micro and macroeconomics, which she did while attending the UWI.

She is happily married to Bjorn Byfield and is the mother of two children, Caleb and Nylah-Jade.

editorial@gleanerjm.com