Come February 13, Trans Guyana Airways will begin operating scheduled flights to Bartica and Baganara from the Ogle International Airport, which is also gearing to receive international flights from LIAT Airlines from March 26.
Marketing Consultant to the Correia Group of Companies Frank Willison said at a press conference held at Baganara Island yesterday that Trans Guyana would make one-way trips directly to Bartica in the afternoon only, because of the inclement weather (clouds) that hovered over the township’s airstrip in the morning periods. He noted that there had been a letter in the newspaper which questioned why flights were landing at Baganara.
He also stated that many pilots complained about the difficulty they faced landing on the Bartica airstrip, as well as on other island resorts in the Essequibo district. Baganara Island has a maintained airstrip, he said.
“Because we are doing connecting flights to Lethem, Kaieteur Falls and Olive Creek, Trans Guyana cannot afford to take chances with having delays. In the past, with the last airline that was providing this service, there was always a delay [because of the] weather out of Bartica… So we chose to have Baganara as a connected destination to Bartica,” Willison said.
Explaining how it would work, he said passengers could book scheduled flights through Evergreen Adventures. Morning flights would depart Ogle International Airport for a 20-minute trip to Baganara, from where passengers would be taken by boat to Bartica, all for the same price.
The scheduled afternoon flights would depart Ogle and arrive in Bartica or land in Baganara, if there are passengers for the island.
“This is a scheduled flight. If only one passenger is there then it will still be considered a flight. This will not be like the last airline which cancelled flights because there were not enough passengers to take off. This is a strictly scheduled flight,” Willison said.
Scheduled morning flights will be on Mondays, Wednes-days, Fridays and Saturdays. These flights will leave Ogle at 7 am for Baganara and then leave Baganara at 7.30 am to return to Ogle; allowing passengers to catch other flights to Suriname, Lethem and Olive Creek at 8.30 am.
Scheduled afternoon flights will be on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. These flights will leave Ogle at 4.30 pm and arrive in Bartica at 5 pm.
“With this schedule we are now offering the Barticians, for the first time they will be able to go from Bartica to Kaieteur and this was never offered before. People would have to take a boat down, check into a hotel and the next day they go,” Willison said.
Christopher ‘Kit’ Nascimento, vice president of the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana, noted that there were other resorts in the Bartica Triangle, including Shanklands and his very own Hurukabra River Resort.
Nascimento said, “We see this as a cooperative and a partnership effort from a tourism point of view. These flights coming in will greatly advance the transportation facilities….”
He also said that Bartica is “hugely” expanding because it is considered the launching pad of the gold mining industry. He said flights will also enhance transportation in the mining industry.
With regard to prices, it was related that there will be a special airfare for Guyanese passengers and interested persons should contact Evergreen Adventures.
When this newspaper asked whether there would be special packages for persons travelling to the upcoming Bartica Regatta, Willison said “Evergreen which is the tourist part of the Correia Group will create promotions to allow persons special packages.”
Nascimento added that with the scheduled flights, passengers can travel in the morning and travel back out in the evening without having to overnight in Bartica. However, if there were to be a large number of persons seeking to fly to Bartica for the regatta, there would be a need to put on extra flights.
International flights
Meanwhile, at the Ogle International Airport, Nascimento told reporters that come March 26, LIAT’s international flights from different destinations across the Caribbean will begin landing there.
Trans Guyana already flies to and from Suriname twice a day on Thursdays and Saturdays. This started about a year ago.
Nascimento said that in a few weeks, the runway will be ready for night landing as runway lights have been already installed. However, there will be no flights leaving at night.
Captain Andre Farinha of Trans Guyana explained that the airline currently has six Cessna C208B Grand Cara-vans with another Caravan which has a Black Hawk engine allowing it to land and take off at shorter airstrips.
Pilots who fly the ‘Black Hawk Caravan’ had to be retrained to operate the aircraft, Nascimento said, adding, “This Caravan can go places where no other plane can go.”
The Black Hawk engine, which is the only one of its kind in Guyana, was purchased directly from the Black Hawk engine company in the United States, which manufactures them for the Cessna Caravans. Nascimento said he was pleased with its performance so far but added that maintenance was very important when dealing with this “one of a kind” engine.
A tour of the still-to-be completed airport saw piles of sand and stone on the runway with men working to have it ready for March 26. The airport has been GPS approved.
Meanwhile at Baganara, Region Seven Chairman Gordon Bradford said he welcomed the initiative by Trans Guyana which will enhance tourism in Bartica.
“Bartica has progressed in terms of business and so on, but in terms of safety persons will feel comfortable travelling by aircraft which will get them back on time,” Bradford said.
Asked about the upcoming anniversary of the Bartica massacre, Bradford said, “What happened was unacceptable and it saddened not only me but residents of Bartica.”
He further said that since the murders, security has been on the top of his agenda and meetings on this are held every month. He said crime in Bartica, with its population of some 12,000, has dropped in every aspect. His wish, he said, is for Bartica to become a prime tourist destination for visitors from around the world.
Asked about the recent boat accident in the Mazaruni River, Bradford said that boating in the area where the accident occurred was very dangerous and only experienced boat captains dared to operate there.
Nascimento interjected that the captains needed to be trained and licensed for boat handling.
Bradford then said that he had asked an official from the Maritime Administration (MARAD) “How can you train a boat captain who basically grew up with the knowledge of how to handle the rough currents?”
He said that he was made aware that a number of “dangerous turn” signs have been placed along the Mazaruni and the Crab Falls area.
Meantime, he said that preparations for the Bartica Regatta and Mashramani activities have been progressing smoothly with safety as the number one priority for boat drivers who will be racing in the regatta.
