GCAA launches historic E-Services Aircraft Landing Permit Portal

– aligns with Govt’s digital transformation agenda says Minister Indar

The Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) on Monday officially launched its E-Services Aircraft Landing Permit Portal, marking a historic step in the country’s aviation modernisation journey and positioning Guyana as the first nation in the CARICOM region to implement a fully digital system for aircraft landing requests.
GCAA started in 2003 with handwritten letters, to emails in 2007, and now to a fully digital platform in 2025 —reflecting its ability to modernise the regulatory authority. The new E-Services Portal allows global aircraft operators to request, process, and receive landing permits electronically, eliminating the need for hard-copy forms, manual approvals, and physical signatures. The digital shift is expected to enhance efficiency, accuracy and record-keeping while strengthening the GCAA’s responsiveness to the fast-growing aviation traffic associated with Guyana’s booming economy. The landing permit portal is the latest achievement under the GCAA’s Electronic Data Management System (EDMS) project — a multi-phase digital initiative launched in 2024 with strong Government support and technical collaboration from the National Data Management Authority (NDMA).

Phased modules
According to the Minister of Public Utilities and Aviation Deodat Indar, the EDMS comprises several modules designed to fully digitise the Authority’s operations. The first phase focused on developing an electronic filing system, converting thousands of paper records dating back to the year 2000 into digital format. “We had to pass, we had to update our aviation, our principal legislation, just to make sure that all of the things that a modern world and a modern aviation sector would have in place. Now, from the media standpoint, some might say this is a simple permitting system. But the simple permitting system took us a very long time to get done. But it is a step in the right direction”. “Once one aspect of the service that interfaces with the aviation world is offered by the Civil Aviation Authority and it works well, it will creep in. The rest of the service will creep in. So, the drones permit and the other permits that you need will happen. This will also have to deal with evacuation, medical evacuation and so on,” Minister Deodat said.

The second phase introduced a Human Resources Management Information System (HRMIS), now 95 percent complete. This module allows internal staff to manage HR functions — including payroll, leave and performance records — entirely online. Pay slips, for instance, will be delivered electronically via email or WhatsApp, replacing printed copies. Further, the third module, nearing completion, focuses on creating an online application system for drone operations — another key advancement in managing the growing number of drone permits issued annually. The platform will make it easier for drone operators across the country, from Berbice to Linden to Essequibo, to apply and receive approvals securely and efficiently. Meanwhile, the final module, launched this week, is the Aircraft Landing Permit Portal — a digital platform designed to handle over 500 applications annually from both local and international operators. This system, he said, brings Guyana in line with global aviation best practices and strengthens its competitiveness as a regional aviation hub.

Digital transformation agenda
The Minister explained that the launch of the E-Services Portal underscores the GCAA’s commitment to efficiency, transparency, and innovation in public service delivery. He emphasised that it also aligns with the Government’s wider digital transformation agenda, aimed at improving citizen and investor access to essential services. “So, it speaks about the general trajectory of where the sector is moving. And the President, as someone said earlier, is leading from the front when it comes to transforming paper-based tasks, paper-based processes into a more digital framework… So, although we are doing this today at the Civil Aviation Authority, this kind of system you will see rolling out in most areas of Government services. The power company, the utilities company, Ministries, all of them are building it out. Because that is the mandate. The mandate in this sector, apart from modernising it and digitising it, is also making sure that the infrastructure, the hard infrastructure as well as the soft infrastructure, both of them are modernised,” he added. According to the GCAA, the pioneering initiative represents a significant achievement for the agency and exemplifies the potential of local talent and resources, as it was entirely designed and developed by Guyanese professionals.
In the coming months, it added, the GCAA will roll out additional E-services, including and online drone application system and digitisation of other application processes offered by the Authority to further enhance service delivery to aviation stakeholders.