The Guyana government and Caribbean Airlines Limited (CAL) are currently in discussions on the creation of more job opportunities for Guyanese with the airline as it seeks to tap into Guyana’s emerging oil and gas sector, Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill said yesterday.
The Trinidad-based airline is hoping to offer connecting flights from Cheddi Jagan International Airport to the George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas, where ExxonMobil is headquartered. Connections will be facilitated via Port of Spain, Trinidad.
Edghill yesterday told this newspaper that the government has met with the directors of CAL and requested that it place more emphasis on developing job opportunities here.
According to the minister, who has responsibility for the aviation sector, the government has asked CAL to provide opportunities for more Guyanese among its cabin crew, catering services and ground handling.
“This is a robust plan we are working on as we look at job creation. We are looking at every Guyanese must be a beneficiary from the oil and gas sector,” the minister stated.
Edghill further stated that no timeframe has been put in place but they are aiming to finalise an agreement soon and have the plan rolled out.
Caribbean Airlines has not made a determination on the projected startup date for the flights since Trinidad and Tobago’s borders remain closed. However, once approved such a development would see CAL providing direct competition to United Airlines on the Houston route.
Guyana’s international airports are slated to reopen for commercial flights from October 12.
However, there has been no indication from Caribbean Airlines, Copa Airlines or Suriname Airways on when they intend to resume operations here.
Director General of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority Lt. Col. Egbert Field (ret’d) yesterday indicated that the authority is still awaiting word from the airlines on their plans to resume operations.
Asked about CAL’s plans to operate regional flights between Guyana and Barbados, Field said that there have been in talks but no destination has been set.
He also noted that the airline has not indicated to the aviation authority if its plans to offer connecting flights between Guyana and Houston.
The airline, like many others around the world, has been hard-hit by the impact of COVID-19 on air travel and it has had to fly with reduced capacity out of Jamaica and Barbados with Trinidad’s borders still closed.
While it has a Trinidad and Tobago government guarantee amounting to some US$65 million, the Trinidad Guardian recently reported that the financial backing is expiring soon and the airline is now being forced to make decisions about its expenses.
