THE Government yesterday announced the implementation of permanent measures aimed at boosting security at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri.

Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr. Roger Luncheon told a news conference that Cabinet, at its last meeting on Tuesday, authorised the immediate implementation of the measures to provide increased security for aircraft and at the airport.

Luncheon said the steps were communicated to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) here from the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) in the United States and listed a number of additional security interventions needed for flights to and from North America. Luncheon declined to say what these were.

He, however, anticipated that with Cabinet's resolve to have the measures immediately implemented, that there will be an impact on security at the airport that would likely cause additional delays, longer check-in time and perhaps even some amount of frustration for travellers.

Luncheon pointed out that in the context of terrorist attacks in the U.S last week Tuesday when four commercial jets were hijacked and flown into targets in Washington and New York, the sentiments are that "these inconveniences will have to be tolerated".

The Ministry of public works and Communications yesterday called an urgent meeting with all aircraft operators and security personnel at the airport to discuss and implement enhanced security measures.

At the meeting, held at the airport at Timehri, critical personnel were briefed on new measures requested by the FAA and to be adopted by Guyana, the Ministry said.

It explained that the measures are similar to those currently being adopted in the U.S in the wake of the attacks and will see the restriction of several items. As a result of the additional security measures -

* No knives, scissors, nail files and any potential weapon will be allowed in carry-on luggage aboard any aircraft. Passengers are now required to declare all such implements and to remove them from their carry-on luggage and any of these restricted items found during searches will be confiscated;

* Passengers and their luggage will be subjected to additional and more rigorous searches including pat-downs prior to boarding the aircraft;

* Checked luggage will also be subjected to manual searches;

* Passengers are advised to arrive at the airport three - four hours ahead of the scheduled departure times to ensure that the checks are carried out and no exceptions will be made for late arrivals;

* Only bona-fide passengers and crewmembers will be permitted beyond the screening point and the departure lounge.

The Ministry said the Government, through the CAA, has been given the assurance from airlines and personnel operating at the airport that with immediate effect the new security measures will be implemented.

Responding to a question on whether they will apply to both international and internal flights, Luncheon said he was not now in a position to say that the same or similar steps would be adopted for internal flights.

"I believe that the immediate implementation would address specifically international flights...," he said, noting that the modicum of security that currently prevailed at Ogle or at other smaller airstrips in the country will be maintained.

With regards the possible plight of Guyanese in countries that may be targeted in whatever hostile retaliation the U.S unleashes on either the perpetrators of acts of terrorism or those who support those who carried out the attacks, Luncheon said that was indeed an "issue for some consideration".

He said some time ought to be allowed for clarity on the issues and positions, the extent of hostility, how it must be initiated, and the nature of the response of the adversary in such environments.

Luncheon added that the "Guyanese Government has no intention of offering support in carrying out hostile activities against any of the parties involved".

But it is embracing the support from the international community against terrorism, he explained.

President Bharrat Jagdeo has pledged the Government's full support to the U.S in the fight against international terrorism and has condemned the attacks at the Pentagon in Washington and the World Trade Center in New York that left nearly 6,000 persons, including Guyanese, missing or dead.

"Indeed we are (part of the) international dimensions of the anti terrorist campaign activities for which Guyana can subscribe," Luncheon said, adding that this was the intention of President Jagdeo when he offered Guyana's full support to the Americans in their efforts to create and launch an international response - an alliance against terrorism.

Cabinet observed a minute of silence at its meeting on Tuesday as a mark of respect for the victims of the tragedy in the U.S.

Luncheon said the Government is now much more aware of the multi-national basis of the human tragedy and that the large number of nationals working in the twin towers of the now demolished World Trade Center was indeed cause for consideration of the scourge of terrorism as an international issue.

At the news conference yesterday morning, Luncheon also responded to a query about an advertisement in the Official Gazette a few weeks ago on the passing of the transport for the now defunct Guyana Airways Corporation (GAC) ramp at Ruimveldt and whether that was a way of the Government recouping losses.

He said, unless he is advised to the contrary, passage of transport merely concluded the purchase of the facility by the Government as part of the recapitalisation of the Guyana Defence Force, specifically in this instance, the Coastguard.

Luncheon noted that the Coastguard has already taken control and possession of the premises and is working to fully incorporate it into its headquarters, also at Ruimveldt. The purchase, he reported, was made well before the formal demise of the GAC.

And commenting on the industrial relations climate in the country, Luncheon said the Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security, the executives of many of the unions involved in recent industrial actions and some of the workers they represent must be commended for their efforts over the last two weeks to put a halt to the resort to strike action.

He referred particularly to areas, which significantly impacted on the daily living activities of Guyanese, one of which was the recent strike at the Guyana Power and Light Company Limited.

"Many of these matters now are at specific stages in the grievance procedures involving the Ministry of Labour and particularly the Chief Labour Officer (and) we can only hope that some measure of common sense would prevail and that the parties concerned (will) conclude an agreement on the fundamental issues of wages and salaries increases for 2001 and the absence of any further resort to strike action," Luncheon said.

He also said that the situation concerning the ailing bauxite industry and its operations in the Berbice River was still extremely tedious and parlous. But he told reporters that "it does seem that greater efforts by all the parties concerned are being made to have the future of the (Berbice Mining Enterprise) company assured".

Prime Minister Sam Hinds and members of the Inter-Agency Committee dealing with the issue are continuing their work with the principals of the U.S-based Alcoa firm and the Aroaima company and information will be provided as the situation develops, Luncheon said.