Chief Executive Officer of Roraima Airways Captain Gerry Gouveia has told Stabroek Business that Caribbean Airways has served Guyana well enough over the years to allow for the regional airline to be accorded flag carrier status. “Frankly, I believe that having served this country well for more than 70 years Caribbean Airlines is entirely deserving of being accorded flag carrier status,” Gouveia told Stabroek Business in an interview earlier this week.
And according to the Roraima boss a case might even be made for suggesting that the state-owned Trinidad and Tobago airline has been deserving of “far more support” than has been forthcoming from Guyana in its time of difficulty. “If we reflect on the role that Caribbean Airlines has played in local and regional air travel we may well discover that it has not been given nearly enough credit for the contribution that it has made. Over the years it has provided generous corporate sponsorship in tourism-related areas which sponsorship has done a great deal to help promote our tourism product and the country as a whole,” Gouveia said adding that he was resentful of aviation watchers in the region who now appeared to be anticipating Caribbean Airlines’ demise.
In advocating that Caribbean Airlines be given flag carrier status, Gouveia said that he would like to see the airline providing regular direct flights to