GA2000 Operations Manager resigns
GUYANA Airways 2000 (GA2000) Director of Operations, Mr Larry Singh has resigned and the company has circulated a memorandum to staff advising that he is no longer authorised to conduct any business on the airline's behalf. The memorandum copied to the Board of Directors and signed by Chief Executive Officer, Mr Anthony Mekdeci said Singh's resignation took effect from Tuesday. "His resignation takes effect today (Tuesday), 18 January, 2000 and he is no longer authorised to conduct any business on behalf of the company," the second paragraph in the notice to the staff read. A call yesterday to the GA2000 office in New York, where Singh was based, confirmed he was no longer on the job. Top brass of GA2000 last week confirmed the airline was experiencing "difficult times" because of market and other conditions but claimed it was "not in crisis". Board Chairman, Mr Yesu Persaud last week acknowledged that Mekdeci and Singh were due to leave the company and indicated that they were to do so at the end of this month. He said they had indicated intentions of leaving before and Mekdeci will remain a consultant, while talks were continuing with Singh. The firm is looking for a new Chief Executive Officer, he said. He confirmed board members recently met President Bharrat Jagdeo to raise a number of "operational issues", including linkages with BWIA and other airlines to overcome the problems. President Jagdeo has indicated the government's willingness to reduce its 49 per cent shares in GA2000 so that the airline can go public to raise funds. Persaud said too the airline would be discontinuing its flights to Miami and plans for a second aircraft have been deferred. Mekdeci also announced that the airline would have to increase its fares. Aviation Investments, a consortium led by the Aircraft Owners Association of Guyana (AOAG) won a bid last year for 51 per cent ownership of the national carrier, Guyana Airways Corporation (GAC). The ailing GAC was put up for privatisation after incurring continuous expenses, forcing it into severe financial problems. The government divested the cash-strapped GAC which had debts estimated at US$10M, US$6M stemming from problems with the corporation's leased Boeing 757 aircraft. GAC was forced into stopping all its international flights in February last year and nearly 200 employees were sent home because of a "wet lease" arrangement engaged by the ailing airline. The rest were later retrenched after the divestment of the airline. After winning the bid out of seven offers, AOAG stressed that its intention was to recapture the airline's dominant position as a national flag carrier.
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