The revamped viewing gallery at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport.
A range of security equipment including detectors for explosives was handed over to the Timehri airport yesterday and it was also announced that outdated equipment at the control tower will be replaced shortly in three phases with the first phase due early next year.
The announcement about the control tower equipment was made by the Minister of Public Works and Communication, Robeson Benn and came in the wake of concerns ventilated in this newspaper about the deficiencies in the control tower and how this could impact on readiness for heightened air traffic during the cricket world cup.
The minister was speaking at the handing over of equipment to ensure security at Guyana's lone international airport yesterday. The equipment included walk-through and hand-held metal detectors, radio communication units, digital cameras, explosive trace detectors, bomb kits, baggage scanners, computers, night vision binoculars, voltage regulatory devices and training packages.
The equipment is part of a US$502,000 Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)- sponsored contract catering for the provision of aviation security consultancy, training services and equipment to ensure airport security compliance with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the US Transport Security Administration (TSA) standards. It was signed in June 20 of this year with Longport, an international aviation security company, which provides ICAO/TSA- compliant security services to 26 airlines in eight major international airports in South America. The project is intended to bring important economic impacts in the long term as air traffic increases as a result of harmonization of aviation security in Guyana and will also enhance the safe management of the increased traffic associated with the Cricket World Cup (CWC) next year. The services of the consultants are divided into three components namely regulatory strengthening, implementation of new administrative services and training.
Benn, in handing over the equipment stated that in order to ensure safe and secure travel, security requirements have to be up to a certain standard. He said that the contract signed represented a significant investment in equipment and human resources and noting that the contract was for both equipment and training, declared that equipment was useless if there were no trained persons to operate them. He stated that the investment points to the government's high level of responsibility with regard to security and noted that Guyana was now on par with other Caribbean countries in that area. He also stated that in preparation for CWC a security plan had to be submitted while the absence of specific equipment to detect radioactive material was also noted. Benn stated that under the CWC "some capability to look at the issue is being looked at". In alluding to the recent email threat made to airlines travelling out of Guyana he called for persons to be vigilant stating that the response to such threats cost money and further there was a need for 'cyber-security' and working with Internet Service Providers (ISP) to know when persons were logged on is being discussed but issues such as invasion of privacy were being worked out.
It was also disclosed that equipment was provided to other stakeholders including the Guyana Civil Aviation Adminis-tration, Ogle Airport Incorpo-rated, the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Public Works and Communications. The Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Timehri benefited from more than US$70 000, the Ogle aerodrome received US$87 000 while hinterland airstrips benefited from US$15 000.
Showing off the transformed viewing gallery, Ramesh Ghir, Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport Corporation disclosed that it would be open to the public within the next two weeks. New seats have been installed, the old wire mesh has been replaced with glass and it is now air conditioned.
Additionally, he said, a contract has been awarded for a concession on the upper floor with a fast food restaurant and bar, gaming area and possibly an ice cream parlour expected to be established while television sets will also be provided. A flight information display system will also be erected by the end of February next year. The rehabilitation of the Arrivals terminal falls under the Air Transport Reform Project and was done at a cost of $280M. Additional improvements include expanding the arrivals area and installing a baggage conveyor system which is being sourced from Brazil.
Asked how the airport systems were coping with the increased traffic during the Christmas season and which is being used as a 'dry run' for the CWC, Ghir said that it was going "pretty well" noting it was the busiest he had ever seen and said that the volume of incoming passengers is expected to "surpass all other Decembers".
Meanwhile a tearful woman took the opportunity to complain to Benn that she had been waiting for her luggage for quite a while and that no one was telling her anything.