No orders were given by Ministry of the Presidency – Harmon

Transfer of GA 2000 hanger

– confirms BK International submitted proposal

Minister of State Joseph Harmon has announced that the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition Government did not order that a State-owned hangar at Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) be handed over to BK International.
Internetnews website, Demerara Waves (Demwaves) reported on Thursday that the hangar which was being used by now-defunct State-owned GA 2000 was to be transferred to BK International; however, that plan was shelved to facilitate the expansion of the airport.
It claimed that the decision to hand over control of the facility was made by a top official of the Ministry of the Presidency, prior to the installation of a new Board of Directors of the CJIA, according to Demwaves.
However, Minister Harmon in a statement issued by the Ministry of the Presidency (MOTP) denied the allegations and called the report ‘wicked and malicious’, which he said was designed to ‘feed the frenzy about his connection to Brian Tiwari.
He reminded that the CJIAC and its Board come under the direct authority of the Public Infrastructure Ministry as has always been the case.
When contacted, Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson refused to comment and told this publication “you know my answer; I have no comment, write what you want.”
Meanwhile, the MOTP statement quoted Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the CJIAC, Ramesh Ghir, who it said informed that BK International Incorporated had, during the life of the previous Board of Directors, submitted a proposal for rental of the GA 2000 hangar.
“He further stated, that though the Board had favourably considered the proposal, during a meeting, no decision was communicated to Mr Brian Tiwari or his company,” the Ministry said.

According to the statement, based on records from the CJIAC, in September 2014, the Board approved the rental of the hanger for a six-month period to BK International Incorporated; however, that contract was never executed.
Following the change of government and the appointment of a new Board of Directors, the proposal was again considered but it has been since deferred, Ghir was quoted as saying by the Ministry of the Presidency.
“The new Board of Directors would have looked at the proposal… it was placed on hold because we have the expansion of that airport taking place and we realised that some of the operators had to be relocated… we would have had to find a temporary location for them to operate and the hangar is one of the considerations, so that as we speak is actively being pursued,” Ghir was quoted as saying.
Ghir claimed that he had informed Dennis Chabrol of Demerara Waves that Tiwari was not officially granted the use of the hangar, either by rental or for purchase and that he was one of several operators who had expressed an interest in using the facility.
Ghir also denied being given instructions by the Ministry of the Presidency in this regard. “The Ministry is extremely concerned that in the rush to publish sensational stories media outlets are not exercising due diligence and this is irresponsible and can be perceived as malicious when it is not supported by fact,” the statement said.
Efforts to contact BK International’s Managing Director Brian Tiwari proved futile as calls to his mobile phone went unanswered. BK International operates a domestic carrier, Wings Aviation and has already acquired several small aircraft.
While there are reports of BK International planning to purchase a 12-seater executive jet later this year, this could not be independently confirmed.