Dear Editor,
On Saturday, July 1, 2017, I had to visit the Cheddi Jagan International Airport at Timehri, East Bank Demerara, to
pick up my dear wife who was returning at 15:00h. I was turning onto the airport’s road, I saw no signs or any form of guidance. However, I turned into the regular parking lot area to park, of course paying the fee of $500. Along with my son, we went into the airport and sat down in the arrival waiting section. We then observed that there was still no heavy activity at the time the aircraft was expected to arrive. At about the same time, a young lady working in the airport’s snackette in the arrival area came to me and greeted me and asked: “Don’t you know that the arrival area has moved?” I was taken by complete shock. I would like to ask several questions: Is it that the administration is bereft of management techniques, procedures and systems? Couldn’t they think to put a guide or sign to show that the arrival area’s section was under construction? Was it not the right thing to put some arrows starting from the old arrival section to the new arrival section so that no one was inconvenienced?
There was no note or notices leading to the new arrival area. Despite being in a state of bewilderment, I finally found the area at the back. When I got there, I was met with confusion and mayhem. It must be understood that I understand that when there is construction, especially at an international airport, there will always be some level of inconvenience. The confusion was so intense when the rain came down, they allowed people to enter the customs’ shed area where arriving passengers are supposed to exit. As soon as the rain stopped, everyone was instructed (including yours truly) to step out of this area into the hot sun.
Again, it is understood that the customs’ area must be kept under high security and therefore it is fair to suggest that persons should not be in there unauthorised. But is the contractors/administrators bereft of a certain level of managerial skill that they would inconvenience their customers? I think that the Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson and some of his management personnel should visit these locations and offer recommendations so that the people are not treated as second class citizens. Logically all they had to do was to place two 20×20 tents in the new waiting area.
The people of this country are the bosses of this country and Government, Ministers, heads of Government agencies/institutions/corporations must never forget that you are the people’s servants. As usual, some get annoyed when I reiterate this but as a man who loves his country, who loves his people, I am sending this message to the media.
Yours sincerely,
Roshan Khan Sr
