With the appointment of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority’s (GCAA) new nine-member Board, the local aeronautics industry is expected to see further improvement. The Board was installed this morning at the GCAA’s head office in Kingston, Georgetown.
Seated from left: Chairman of GCAA, Lieutenant Colonel retired, Lawrence London; and Minister within the Public Infrastructure Ministry Annette Ferguson flanked by members of the newly installed GCAA Board
At the installation ceremony, Minister within the Public Infrastructure Ministry, Annette Ferguson recalled the significant achievements the Authority has made in the last two years.
“The level of compliance has risen from 44.4 per cent to 64.6 per cent. By virtue of us improving in that area, the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has recognised these vast improvements we made over those last few years… Millions were expended in the last two and half years on training”, Minister Ferguson is quoted by the Department of Public Information (DPI) as saying.
Other successes highlighted include the installation of a new simulator at CJIA, additional manual training and the move from issuing manual pilot licences to ‘modernised’ ones.
Alluding to the recent misfortune with the Cuba aircraft which took the life of over 100 persons, the Minister lauded the Director General and team for taking the decision not allow the aircraft to fly out of Guyana due to its noncompliance.
Minister Ferguson charged the new Board to continue to work together, to ensure that the working environment is one free from discrimination and victimisation and strive towards a 90 per cent and above compliance level.
GCAA’s Director General, retired Lieutenant Colonel, Egbert Field said the new Board with the help of the Government and Chairman will support GCAA in “soaring higher” amidst challenges.
“The imminent oil production has created a lot of activity when it comes to the aviation industry. The expanded CJIA with its extended runway and our own domestic aviation continues to grow as the gold price rises. So, it’s a tsunami ahead of this authority but I’m up to the challenge”, Field stated.
Chairman of GCAA, (rtd) Lieutenant Colonel Lawrence London committed to enhancing the aviation sector. He stressed that the new Board’s new mission is to make sure the ‘skies are safe.’
Other Board members include Kenneth Jordan, Egbert Field, Courtney Byrne, Duke Pollard, Ramesh Ghir, Sadie Amin, Sharon Beverly and Leon Castello.
