The Government has appointed a new Board of Directors for the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority. It has charged the members of this board not to be rubber stamps, but rather to use their diverse technical expertise and experiences to expand and improve Guyana’s aviation capabilities.
The GCAA Board. Seated are Chairman of the Board Javed Shadick and Public Works Minister Juan Edghill. From left, Prema Roopnarine, Jerome Khan, GCAA Director General Egbert Field, Lt Colonel Courtney Byrne, Ramesh Seebarran and Beulah Williams (GCAA photo)
In a ceremony held at the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority boardroom earlier today, the members of the new board were installed. In his remarks to the new board, Public Works Minister Juan Edghill made it clear that Government does not want a board of rubber stamps. Rather, he noted the importance of them playing a key role in making decisions at GCAA.
“You are a board that must be able to sit, discuss, debate, ask the hard questions, do the due diligence, get to the bottom of issues, then you make your recommendations for the necessary actions. By no means would I like you to be a board that is a rubber stamp. I want you to be a board that is heavily and aggressively involved.
“That’s why you were carefully chosen – people of skill, competence, experience. And we’re asking you to be nationalists and patriots. Be a set of eyes and minds that are looking out for the good of Guyana and ensuring that this sector is properly managed and governed,” Edghill said.
Meanwhile, Director General of the GCAA, Lieutenant Colonel Egbert Field, reminded the board of his availability and noted that they would get his full support and expertise when called upon. In addition, he would depend on the board to guide him in certain areas.
“The Civil Aviation Authority, we are regulators, but we are also facilitators. And, Honourable Minister, you can rest assured we will be working with the industry, as we have been doing, so that safety and security remains the number one item for us as we move forward.
“I’m a consummate professional, and I have been moving in the direction of ensuring that this authority and the aviation industry, this economy, continues to increase and build in a way the authority can assist,” Fields informed the board.
Chairing the board is Attorney-at-Law Javed Shadick. Also on the board is well known lawyer Jerome Khan and Ramesh Seebarran. Also on the board is Prema Roopnarine, Beulah Williams, CJIA CEO Ramesh Ghir and army representative Lieutenant Colonel Courtney Byrne.
Public Works Ministry’s Permanent Secretary Vladim Persaud is an ex-officio member of the board. (G3)
