A senior local aviation official with first-hand knowledge of the existing security arrangements at the Cheddi Jagan Interna-tional Airport, Timehri, has accused the authorities of long-standing and unacceptable indifference” to security at the country’s only international airport.
The official has described recent moves by Works Minister Robeson Benn to dismantle illegal structures on airport land as ”an attempt to draw attention away from years of official mishandling of the situation.”
The official who last week proffered a comment on the two recent incidents of theft of runway lights at the airport told Stabroek Business earlier this week that he doubted that there was any other country in the world where the authorities would, for years, ignore large numbers of squatters on land in the immediate vicinity of the airport.
“If they allow you access to the records I am sure you will find evidence of the concerns expressed by the airport authorities about the squatter situation at the airport. It is amazing that after several years of theft of airport property … that have been linked directly to people connected to the squatting area, nothing has been done over the years to address the squatter situation.
The official told Stabroek Business that the incidence of theft at the airport is far higher than the public suspects. “On most occasions the media is never brought into the picture because it is usually felt that it is best to keep these things quiet. What has happened in recent times is that the sheer frequency of the incidents meant that the problem could no longer be kept concealed.”
According to the aviation official while the local airport authorities and the aviation subject Ministry were well aware of the heightened emphasis on security at airports around the world arising out of concerns over the threat of terrorist attacks, Guyana appeared to proceed on the assumption that the national airport was immune from any kind of terrorist threat. “What else could account for the amazing lack of interest in securing our airport properly,” the official asked.
This newspaper has been informed of at least four incidents of theft and destruction of equipment at the airport over the past few months and Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) Authority Chief Executive Officer Ramesh Ghir has spoken with Stabroek Business about the problem of the squatter settlement on the airport property. Geer told Stabroek Business that the CJIA had made efforts in the past to have the squatter settlement addressed to no avail.
And in an invited comment on the extent of the vulnerability of the airport to access by outside intruders the official told Stabroek Business that it was possible for intruders to access the airport using vehicles, fill those vehicles with airport property and disappear without being detected. “I can hardly think of a worse security situation at an airport,” The official said.
The source told Stabroek Business that the loss of confidence in the security regime at Timehri had extended to airlines using the airport in the wake of frequent drug busts at the airport and drug finds on carriers flying out of Guyana.
“Many of the airlines using our airport have opted for private security to check passengers and luggage since there seems to be a mistrust of the local security arrangements,”
And the official endorsed the view expressed last week by Private Sector Commission Chairman Captain Gerry Gouveia that loss of confidence in the security arrangements at the airport could worsen what he described as “an already bad situation” as far as international carriers flying to Guyana is concerned. He said that beyond the existing security concerns the authorities also need to take account of the broader business concerns arising out of the possibility that it could become increasingly difficult to travel in and out of Guyana.
