Universal launches weekly flight to Suriname
By Samantha Alleyne
Stabroek News
June 21, 2003
Universal Airlines yesterday launched its inaugural flight to Suriname which it is hoped will feed flights going on to North America.
The airline’s Boeing 747 landed at the Johan Adolph Pengel Airport, Paramaribo at around 10 am after a 45-minute flight, and a large contingent welcomed the crew and passengers.
The flight, which will be weekly, will enable passengers from Suriname to travel on to Fort Lauderdale, Florida in much less time than is now possible.
The flight touches down in Suriname where it remains for an hour then returns to Guyana and picks up passengers before heading off to the US.
The management and staff of the airline treated travel agents and members of the media to a tour of the Suriname airport where a cocktail reception was held in honour of the inaugural flight.
Officials from the Surinamese government, other organisations and the airline’s officials were on hand to welcome the contingent, which included the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Universal, Chandra Harpaul.
Bearing flowers and smiles the welcoming party guided the contingent into the modest airport which was buzzing with activity.
Harpaul said that her airline had waited a long time for yesterday’s launch adding that it was hoping to help Suriname with tourism.
Guyana’s Ambassador to Suriname, Karshanjee Arjun, yesterday said that the inaugural flight marked another milestone in the history of aviation in Suriname following the recent US Federal Aviation Authority’s (FAA) favourable remarks over recent treaties on heightened security. He pointed out that security was of paramount importance especially after the September 11 attacks in the US.
Arjun said there was great potential for strengthening bonds of friendship.
He urged all those concerned to re-double their efforts to find early solutions to the differences that confront the two countries and to move expeditiously to put effective systems in place to quicken the pace of the economic, social and cultural development. Surinamese Minister of Tourism, Guno Castelen, said his government’s policy was aimed at ensuring a better airline system in the Caribbean to facilitate more efficient movement of people and cargo.
“It simply means that things should become cheaper for the people, people must have a better quality of life, being able to do business, being able to move for leisure or other purposes.”
He said people in Suriname would welcome an alternative to Suriname Airways.
The minister said they also believed that travel between the two countries could involve the use of the Zorg en Hoop Airport in Suriname and the Ogle Airstrip in Guyana for inter-regional flights.
Also speaking at the cocktail were President of the Chambers of Commerce, Robert Amerali, President of the Association for Surinamese Travel Agencies, Justde Miranda and General Manager of the airline’s office in Suriname, Hoi Yin Sek.
The Guyanese contingent was given a tour of the airport before returning home.
