Domestic air travel must be made more affordable – Pres Ali reiterates

With Government keen on creating linkages between the hinterland regions and the coastland, President Dr Irfaan Ali has reiterated the importance of making domestic air travel more affordable for citizens.
He made this remark while addressing the gathering at the launch of the Next Generation of Aviation Professionals (NGAP) Programme on Tuesday. NGAP is an Air Transport Cadet Pro-gramme that targets students ages 11 to 16 through aviation-focused extracurricular activities and offers vocational and professional training for those 16 and older.

The Head of State pointed out that while more international carriers are setting their coordi-nates for Guyana and opening up new routes, the domestic aviation network is also expanding and will continue to grow through investments, both public and private.
“Our Government’s economic philosophy is built on the principle of inclusive development. No region, no community will be left on the tarmac of progress. We are a nation of vast, rich, beautiful interior and coastlands. Our mission is to integrate them, to connect them, to link ur-ban to rural and urban and rural to hinterland. Not just by road or river, but by the most power-ful connector of all – the air,” he asserted.
According to President Ali, his Government is investing in the necessary infrastructure, such as municipal airports at Lethem and Rose Hall, Berbice, as well as hinterland airstrips, to support this vision.
“We have placed a significant bet on our aviation future by offering generous incentives to the sector. And I have already made a direct call for a reduction in fares because domestic air travel must be made more affordable. It cannot become a luxury.”
“Our vision demands that people can fly in and out of our remote communities without great financial strain. But cheaper and larger cargo planes are reliably coming on stream, and com-ing very quickly. Every Guyanese will have the opportunity to see the breath-taking beauty of our country from land, river and air through national connectivity, [and that] means affordable access for all,” the Head of State noted.

Reducing air travel costs
Only last month, President Ali had revealed that with the incentives offered by the Government, the local aviation sector is financially capable of lowering domestic air transport fares by as much as 15 per cent.
“Our aviation sector has been modernising at a rapid pace, changing out assets, investing in new assets. But whilst I compliment our aviation sector, I challenge them to bring a more bal-anced pricing mechanism for the consumers… We have given the aviation sector enormous in-centives. We have given them enormous support in the removal of taxes on fuel. It is time the aviation sector return that support to the citizens and people of our country. There is no way the aviation sector cannot, at this time, at least reduce air transport by 15 per cent. I’ve looked at the numbers,” the Guyanese leader had noted at the sod-turning ceremony for the new BK air terminal in Bartica, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).
Moreover, back in May, Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo had announced that the Government is contemplating investing in a commercial arm of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) in order to compete with domestic airlines that continue to exploit consumers.

Skilled Guyanese in air services sector
But as his Administration moves to link the hinterland to the coastline, President Ali pointed out on Tuesday that this expansion of the aviation sector demands skilled Guyanese.
“We will need pilots, air traffic controllers, aviation engineers, safety inspectors, airport man-agers, and ground crew. A lot of cargo is going to be moved, and so we need freight forwarders and other logistics professionals. We will need a whole new generation of professionals,” he stated.
To this end, the Head of State underscored the importance of initiatives like the Guyana Next Generation of Aviation Professionals (NGAP) training programme, which he says lays the groundwork for building out the skilled workforce that is needed.
“We are here to cultivate a new core of professionals, a skilled squadron ready to power our nation’s ascent. Today, we have many talented and qualified students graduating from second-ary school and university, eager to find skilled, rewarding careers that match their ambitions. For those with aptitude for technical work, who seek a profession built on precision, challenge, and skill, I urge you to consider a career in our local aviation sector.
This dynamic sector is poised for an unprecedented ascent, offering a future where your skills will not only build a prosperous life for you but will also be the critical engines powering our nation’s connectivity and development,” President Ali stated.
Already, the Guyana Government has plans to establish an aviation school that will see pilots being trained and certified here in the country.