The Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has issued an invitation for bids for preparatory works on land at Providence, East Bank Demerara, which has been allocated for the construction of its new headquarters.
At the beginning of this year, GCAA Director General Lieutenant Colonel (ret’d) Egbert Field had announced that the authority was able to secure 10 acres of land at Providence, East Bank Demerara, for the construction of a permanent headquarters for the agency.
Field had explained to the Department of Public Information (DPI) that the new headquarters would be a four-storey building, capable of housing more facilities than the current building, with adequate parking space. A section of the GCAA’s training school is also to be located on the premises.
He had expected that construction would start in May this year, while noting that the project was still at the procurement stage. He said once the procurement process was complete, the agency would be move to secure a contractor to clear the land to begin preparations for construction.
However, with several months having passed since May, the GCAA only on Sunday published a notice requesting bids for the clearing, cleaning and leveling of land situated at Green Field Park, Back Road, Providence.
Though attempts were made to get an explanation for the delay in the commencement of the project from the GCAA, Director of Corporate Development Chaitrani Heeralall, under whose department the project reportedly falls, she told Stabroek News that such questions would be better answered by Field.
This newspaper was subsequently informed that the Director General is currently out of the jurisdiction on work-related duties.
However, sources have indicated that the delay in commencement of works have been linked to the availability of funding for the project.
Meanwhile, Heeralall, in response to questions asked about a site at Ogle, East Coast Demerara that had been previously been identified for the construction of the headquarters, explained that consideration was given to the Eugene F. Correia Airport, its proximity to the land that had been identified and potential plans by the airport to expand.
As a result, the decision was made to locate suitable land elsewhere; it was noted that several areas were reviewed before the land at Providence had been secured.
In 2013, then President Donald Ramotar and Minister of Transport Robeson Benn and Head of the GCAA at the time Zulfikar Mohamed had turned sod for the new GCAA Headquarters at the proposed site at Ogle.
The GCAA has been housed at various locations over the years, including Wight’s Lane, in Kingston, Prashad Nagar, Colgrain House, and Duke Street, Kingston. It is currently located at High Street, Kingston.
