Gov’t wants modernised aviation sector

Minister of Public Works, Hon Bishop Juan Edghill and the newly installed GCAA Board

Minister of Public Works, Hon Bishop Juan Edghill has charged the newly installed Board of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) to lead the modernisation of the sector.

The Minister made this statement on Wednesday when he presented the nine-member Board with their instruments of appointment at a ceremony held at the GCAA’s Kingston headquarters.

Since August, he said, the Government has embarked on an aggressive plan for the modernisation of Guyana and the GCAA has a significant role to play.

Minister of Public Works, Hon Bishop Juan Edghill presents GCAA Board member Lt. Col. Courtney Byrne with his Certificate of Appointment

“You are a Board that must be able to sit, discuss, debate, ask the hard questions, do the due diligence, get to the bottom of the issues, then make recommendations for the necessary actions. By no means I would like you to be a Board that is a rubber stamp. I want you to be a Board that is heavily involved, aggressively and that is why you were carefully chosen,” Minister Edghill said.

The Board will overlook the functioning of the Authority over the next 12 months.

It comprises new members Chairman, Attorney-at-law, Mr. Javed Shadick, and Attorneys-at-law, Mr. Jerome Khan and Ms. Beulah Williams. Accountant, Mr. Ramesh Seebarran and Financial and Compliance Specialist, Ms. Prema Roopnarine were also selected to serve. Lt. Col. Courtney Byrne and Cheddi Jagan International Airport Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Ramesh Ghir have returned to serve a second year. Permanent Secretary at the Ministry, Mr. Vladmir Persaud will serve as an Ex-offico. New member, Mr. Fazad Khan did not attend the ceremony.

Minister Edghill urged the new Board to be “nationalists and patriots” as they make their contributions.

Meanwhile, GCCA Director-General, Lieutenant Colonel (ret’d) Egbert Fields, said he remains committed to sharing his 50 years of expertise with the new members.

He said the entity has a number of major projects planned for this year, including the construction of its headquarters, attaining paperless operations, updating the State Action Plan for CO2 emission, continuous modernisation of the Air Navigation Services and attainment of Category 1 status from US-Federal Aviation Administration.