Dear Editor,
The Executive and Management of Ogle Airport Inc (OAI) welcome the announcement published in the Guyana Chronicle, Friday, November 4, 2016, from Minister of State Joseph Harmon, that Cabinet has approved the recommendation of Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson, to establish the “Airport Review Panel” in accordance with the lease agreement between Government and Ogle Airport Inc for the management and operation of the Airport.
The purpose of the Airport Review Panel is precisely “to review progress on the obligations of both parties”, that is the Government and the company, “to identify at an early stage any difficulty perceived by either party in the performance of the obligations of both parties under this agreement and to make recommendations related to the performance of those obligations.”
It has always been the position of the Executive and Management of Ogle Airport Inc that many of the alleged and often self serving and frequently specious allegations against the performance of the Airport would have long ago been settled, had the Airport Review Panel been appointed at an early stage.
It was since November last year when the Minister convened a meeting with OAI to address the opposition to the renaming of the Airport – the Eugene F Correia International Airport – that a widespread media campaign was mounted against the management of the Airport by the NATA group and that these complaints could and should have been properly addressed by the Airport Review Panel provided for in the Lease Agreement.
An example of the complaints mounted against the Airport’s management, is the allegation made by NATA to the GCAA and reported in the Chronicle, that there is “congestion” at the Airport with the majority of operators forced to use a single taxiway access to the main runway, causing them to have to wait while one operator with separate access has privileged access.
The fact is that all operators requiring access to the main runway file their request with the GCAA operated Control Tower and take their turn according to assignment by the Tower, it having nothing to do with taxiway access to the runway. OAI maintains Air Traffic control does a good job of minimising delays of departures and the Eugene F Correia International Airport has a good record in this area, given the fact that it is one of the busiest international airports in terms of movements in the region.
OAI therefore looks forward to the appointment of the review panel as specified by our agreement with Government of Guyana, where complaints of this kind could be professionally addressed and settled quickly.
Sincerely,
Ogle Airport Inc
