The government plans to review the access to and the operations of the VIP and executive lounges at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport since among other things there may have been lapses that could have contributed to trafficking in narcotics. Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon told the media at his weekly press conference that cabinet on Thursday last, took a decision to review the operations of the lounges as there may have been lapses and when questioned he acknowledged that they may have contributed to the export of illegal drugs.
“The feeling is the weaknesses, the lack of coordination would provide, could have provided an opportunity for cocaine, aiding smuggling, all sorts of possibilities… the way in which the system was actually being managed, supervised those weaknesses could have been exploited.”
According to Luncheon, over some time there has been reported “non-conformity with the established rules and procedures governing access and use, resulting in events that impinge on security, customs and immigration operations.”
He said heightened attention to revenue protection and security and in the context of the grade and licensing of airports by external agencies demanded a higher level of collaboration among the immigration, custom and the police. A report received by cabinet, Luncheon said, suggested that there may have been some exploitation of the failure to adequately coordinate “and things are falling through the cracks.
“What is intended now is to consolidate the management and supervision to ensure that we clear what the procedures are, who is responsible for enforcing what element and the reported relationships.”
And while cameras have been installed at the airport, Luncheon said, government was not happy that enough have been installed and about the placement of them. There is also “questionable access to the facility.”
