The long-delayed Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) Expansion Project is 93 percent complete and management has use of almost the entire facility.
This was relayed by Minister in the Ministry of Public Infrastructure Jaipaul Sharma at a press conference on Wednesday about the developments in the sector over the last year.
Given the delay in the project’s completion (the last deadline was December 31st 2018, and the extended deadline was March 31st 2019), Sharma says penalties are being considered against the Chinese contractor, but did not say definitively whether they will be implemented.
ICAO compliance
Sharma also shared that an onsite assessment of Guyana’s compliance with International Civil Aviation Authority (ICAO) regulations is upcoming. The ICAO is a United Nations (UN) specialised agency, established by States in 1944 to manage the administration and governance of the Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago Convention).
Guyana’s period of assessment, Sharma shared, is January 14th, 2020 to January 21st, 2020, during which the country has to obtain a score of 86 percent to 90 percent. Once this target is achieved, he said, Guyana will obtain Category 1 Status, which comes with several benefits.
In its last assessment, Guyana obtained a score of 66, Sharma said.
A Category 1 rating indicates that the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has assessed a country’s civil aviation authority and has made the determination that the authority’s licencing of aviation personnel and overseas air carrier operations and airworthiness are in accordance with ICAO standards.
A Category 2 rating, which, based on Sharma’s description, Guyana currently holds, means that the FAA has made a determination that a country’s civil aviation authority’s processes and procedures do not comply with the minimum safety oversight standards stipulated by ICAO.
The implication of a Category 2 Rating is that a country may be allowed to continue operating within the United States as before the assessment, but cannot expand its service to the United States, or codeshare (where two airlines share the same flight), and may be subjected to increased stricter ramp inspections.
Revenue and traffic
Sharma also shared that revenue and expenditure in 2019 were $3.474 billion revenue and $1.506 billion, respectively, compared to $1.34 billion revenue and 767 million expenditure respectively in 2015.
Meanwhile, total passenger arrival was 657,433 in 2019 compared to 630, 143 in 2018, a 4 percent increase, Sharma said, adding that the international passenger arrival in particular for 2019 was 346, 753, or 7 percent higher than 2018.
On the cargo front, imported cargo amounted to 5,509,801kgs, compared to 5,506,627kgs for 2019, an increase of 0.1%. Exported cargo for 2019, however, stood at 2,748,638kgs or 13 higher than the corresponding period in 2018. Sharma said this figure demonstrates that Guyana is exporting significantly more, although he did not disaggregate this figure to determine whether this increased exportation is of a nature which is bringing Guyana added revenue.
International aircraft activity
Sharma also shared that international aircraft landings at the end of 2019 stood at 3,644, an increase of a little over 2.13 percent, when compared to 2018. Jet aircraft landing in particular, he said, increased from 3,568 to 3,644, mainly due to additional frights from Copa Airlines, and American Airlines.
He also noted that Jet Blue is expanding into Guyana with non-stop flights between JFK Airport and CJIA, and that flights are to operate daily from April 2020.
He also noted that the GCAA has given approval for Eastern Airlines to operate regular flights between JFK and CJIA. Interestingly, he shared that CCTV cameras were used to locate items that were misplaced, or taken by accident.
Sharma also disclosed that there are three new duty-free shops in the arrival terminal, and that a new machine for a new cargo facility has been procured and is awaiting installation. He also said that the procurement information for the installation of an automated car park and ticket system has been acquired, and installation is expected in 2020.
There are also plans to build a shopping mall adjoining the terminal, Sharma said, adding that the consultancy contract has been awarded, and work has commenced.
Kiosks
Sharma also revealed that concessions for Kiosks offering locally produced products have been granted and contracts are being finalised.
Sharma also shared that the airport has awarded a contract for the implementation of a self-check-in system which will include the use of kiosks, and passenger tracking software. A consultancy and contract for the construction of additional buildings to accommodate additional airlines has been awarded, and work has commenced. Sharma said.
He also said that a contract has been awarded for the procurement of a trace detection machine expected, which is expected to be delivered and installed in April 2020, while the procurement and installation of a baggage handling system is expected to be delivered and installed by September 2020.
Regulations
The legal department of the GCAA has also completed drafts of new legislation and subsidiary legislation to regulate the aviation industry. Sharma said that an Aircraft Accidents and Investigation Bill has been drafted and sent to the Attorney General (AG) for review.
He said that regulations on the use of drones have also been drafted and left with the AG for review.
