Cubans “camping” at CJIA temporary – Min Patterson

Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson has said the current situation involving Cubans camping out at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) is temporary, and is because the airport is under renovation.
He is appealing to persons experiencing some inconvenience by the situation to exercise patience when using the CJIA facility.

“As you know, the airport is under(going) renovation and there are some issues (that would inevitably crop up). We are aware of the situation with the Cubans, and we urge persons to exercise patience as we get things in order,” the minister said in an invited comment.
“But, so far, we have not received any reports of any incidents with the Cubans or anyone else; but I assure you that if we receive any report — whether it (involves) Guyanese, Cubans or anyone else — it will be dealt with accordingly,” Patterson added.
Guyana Times reported on Friday that, over the past months, several outgoing travellers have complained about their free flow of passage at the CJIA being hampered by Cubans who are using the airport as a camping ground.

On a daily basis, hundreds of Cubans would line the streets of Georgetown, conversing in their native language as they spend exorbitant amounts of money on clothes to take back to Cuba. The business folks in Georgetown have welcomed that development, reporting that most of their customers are Cubans or Brazilians.
Caribbean Airlines recently began offering flights to Cuba, but Cuban nationals have been using chartered flights from Copa Airlines and InselAir to take their cargoes back to their homeland. And because of the volume of goods to be moved and the fact that those foreigners are obliged to stay with their baggage until same has been shipped, the departure section of the airport has temporarily been turned into a camping ground as they await their flights.

Airport employees have related that the Cubans would arrive with their multiple pieces of luggage several hours before their flights are due — and in some cases the nights before their flights are due — and just camp out in the waiting area. The airport employees have related that this issue has already been raised with management of the CJIA, but very little is being done to address it.
CJIA employees relate that the issue is becoming out of hand because the number of Cuban passengers is steadily growing. They relate that sometimes these foreigners would send their baggage ahead while they wait for another flight.
When this newscast visited the airport on Wednesday, travellers related their concerns about the situation, and free access to the departure area was obstructed by numerous pieces of luggage lining the area. Security guards were observed trying to police the Cubans, but because of the language barrier, it was proving to be a difficult task for them.