With challenges in the shipping industry due to the global pandemic, the completion of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport Expansion Project will likely not meet its yearend deadline, Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill said on Sunday.
After the commissioning of the extended runway and the airport’s new Instrument Landing System, Edghill on Sunday night explained that while there is a December 31, 2021 deadline, it is highly likely that the government will have to grant the contractor China Harbour and Engineering Corporation (CHEC) an extension given the difficulties in the transportation of materials here.
“We may not get everything in place by December 31, 2021. And that’s largely due to shipping. And the challenges of shipping as it relates to COVID. And this is not just the airport but several projects. Even now if you get containers, getting the booking time and ships have become problematic. You’re waiting between 90 to 160 days after booking to get a container on a ship,” Edghill said on Sunday night before stressing that this is the reality and he was not making an excuse for company.