During a visit to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) by President David Granger and his Cabinet on Saturday, Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson announced that the airport expansion project is between 75 and 80 per cent complete.
Minister Patterson extended the invitation to the President and Cabinet to visit the airport and to have a firsthand look at the progress being made in relation to the expansion and modernisation project. During the visit, Minister Patterson explained that the project is between 75-80 per cent complete and the purpose of the visit was to get feedback from the President and Cabinet before the final stage of completion and opening.
President David Granger along with Minister of State Joseph Harmon being led on a tour by Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson at the CJIA
President David Granger said that there is a major absence of adequate infrastructure resulting in bothersome experiences for persons willing to visit. He pointed out that the lack of direct flights is one of the major concerns for visitors. Hence, he praised the modernisation of the facility, noting that it is a stepping-stone in the right direction.
“This is not an ornamental project and it is very functional and it is central to the development of our country. It is the gateway to the green state and it must show the character of the country and it must also promise to not only move people from the Caribbean to Guyana but to other parts of South America,” the President said.
Additionally, Granger called on the management of the airport to ensure, once completed, that efficiency is of paramount importance.
“In due course, we should be able to time the arrival of a visitor and in other terms we should ensure that a visitor spends no longer than 10 minutes in this airport. From the time he land to the time he is in the taxi going to Georgetown, we need efficiency Mr Ghir so by the time someone lands here they can be on their way our ensuring that the security checks are in place,” Granger charged.
The President also noted that plans are in the pipeline to upgrade all regional aerodromes and outfit them with all the facilities to accommodate larger flights. He used the opportunity to also express gratitude to the Chinese Government for the collaboration on the project.
“This is the entry point for a modern state. It is very important to our development and just Tuesday Cabinet was discussing infrastructure to attract tourists and now that we are embarking on a new industry, the petroleum industry, many people would want to come here and it is very important that they should be able to come into Guyana in a modern airport,” he noted.
Meanwhile, Project Manager Carmichael Thorne noted that to date, they have expended US$114 million, with plans to spend US$27 million for 2018 and five per cent of the contract sum is being retained for the defects period in 2019.
He added that insufficient parking, overcrowding on the terminals and a too small runway were just some of the reasons for undertaking the project.
In 2012, the then People’s Progressive Party Government had secured a US$138 million loan from the China Exim (Export-Import) Bank to fund the expansion and modernisation project, for which the Guyanese Government has injected some US$12 million.
The project began in 2013. After taking office in 2015, the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change Government had initially put the project on hold.
However, after much discussion the project recommenced with a downgrade to the expansion plan.
The facility is expected to be fully completed by December.
