Newly-elected Leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC), Nigel Hughes
The $400 million airstrip in Paruima, Upper Mazaruni District, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), which was commissioned in April 2024 is operational.
This was confirmed by Public Works Minister Juan Edghill on Friday following claims by the newly-elected Leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC), Nigel Hughes that this was not the case.
During the party’s weekly press briefing, Hughes told the media that the airstrip was closed and the residents were forced to resort to lengthy boat journeys to neighbouring villages to access essential services.
He also claimed that residents have no access to air travel heading to Georgetown and urged the Government to address the situation immediately.
The AFC Leader and Attorney-at-Law stated, “It’s very unfortunate that after spending $400 million on the airstrip at Paruima, one plane came in, stock on its runway and the airstrip has been closed since… now nothing can land because it is dangerous.
Public Works Minister Juan Edghill
“We believe that since the Government has such good intentions for the people of Paruima, they should, first of all, commence legal proceedings against the contractor, because clearly he has not delivered an airstrip,” Hughes added.
In an invited comment from the subject minister, he explained that the Paruima airstrip was never closed, however, its structure did suffer minor damage during the May-June rainy season.
He said the contractor has already been engaged and works were ongoing by way of provisions made “under the defect liability period of which the contractor must pay the cost” for repairs.
“It was just water lodging in specific areas on the airstrip, which meant we didn’t have an even flow and runoff because the airstrip can’t have water in it. When rain falls, it wasn’t supposed to run in a tapered manner off… However, the contractor is addressing it under the defects liability period. So, the airstrip is operational,” Edghill explained.
The $400 million Paruima airstrip
Edghill called out the AFC Leader for publicly spreading misinformation.
“The airstrip is only deemed not operational when the GCAA (Guyana Civil Aviation Authority) and the ministry closes it because of some problem that the planes can’t land and take off. Mr Hughes is a politician that is looking for some amount of relevance and if he would like to be a politician that is looking for relevance, at least at minimum, he must get the facts,” the Minister said.
The Paruima airstrip was constructed by International Import & Supplies.
The robust piece of infrastructure, which was once a mere grass patch, now stands as a concrete structure, capable of accommodating the frequent movement of passengers and goods and services.
At the commissioning ceremony earlier in the year, Minister Edghill disclosed that villagers would be contracted to undertake maintenance works on the airstrip, ensuring its long-term sustainability.
