The results of a recent audit undertaken by the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) could see a new carrier flying in, to serve the Toronto route.

According to reports, the GCAA structure and operations were recently audited by the Caribbean Aviation Safety and Security Oversight System (CASSOS) which replaced the regional safety body RASOS last year. According to persons within the sector here, the upgrade was undertaken to identify the requirements which would bring the GCCA up to standard where the granting of a licence by the United States authorities is concerned.

The United States would not allow any airline to operate between Guyana and airports there, unless the local body meets certain international standards and consequently, the authorities here instructed the local aviation body to have an audit of its operations undertaken in this regard.

The audit was completed earlier this month and the cost of implementing recommendations made by the audit team lies in the vicinity of US$1.4M, money which according to aviation sources, the GCCA does not have. It is unclear whether the regulatory process for the licensing of a new airline is being examined but sources within the industry told this newspaper recently that a local businessman with close ties to the administration had approached the authorities recently with such proposals.

This newspaper was also reliably informed that the operator of a domestic air carrier out of Ogle is working on long term plans to operate a B757 air carrier service along the Guyana/Toronto route and other routes to North America and the Carib-bean, providing the Category 1 status of US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requirements is achieved here. Currently, Guyana falls within Category 2 ratings of the FAA.

Over the last three years there have been several attempts to start-up a Georgetown to Toronto service.

Several charter services have tried but have not been able to sustain a service.

The latest attempt by Sky Service in December last year ended very quickly.

President Bharrat Jagdeo had stated earlier this year that the establishment of a local airline service in response to exorbitant air fares charged by the existing airlines, particularly Caribbean Air-lines, was desirable and Tourism Minister Manniram Prashad noted in March this year that Guyana is more than capable of managing its own airline service so as to keep air fares at a minimum, thereby encouraging more tourists.

He stated that the authorities are breaking new ground with the availability of more facilities, resorts and better accommodation while the economy is attracting more local investors.