President David Granger on Saturday charged the management and staff of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) to ensure that a newly modernised airport comes with high standards and quality service so an increasing number of investors, tourists and the travelling public can be in an out of the airport as quickly as possible.
The airport which is currently undergoing a US$150M expansion, he said, must also be a showcase of Guyana’s ‘green’ agenda and operate as a first class entry point into a modern state, according to a statement from the Ministry of the Presidency.
The President was at the time speaking during a site tour at the CJIA, where the Prime Minister and members of Cabinet, were invited by the Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson to have a first-hand look at the state of works.
“This is the entry point for the modern state. It is very important to our development. Infrastructure would attract tourists and now that we are embarking on a new industry people would want to come in their numbers and they should be coming to Guyana at a modern airport.
In time to come, we should be able to put a time on visitors, meaning that no visitor should be able to spend more than ten minutes in the airport. We need an efficient service so that as soon as someone lands, they can be on their way, of course after satisfying all security requirements. We need to plan for the future,” he said.
Patterson, in brief remarks, said that the site visit was arranged since the project is entering what he called the ‘third fix stage’, where he said that the first set of final touches will applied. As such, he noted that it was best felt that the members of Cabinet should have an input on things that should be done.
