Ogle Airport Incorporated (OAI) yesterday said it is in the process of replacing a defective baggage scanner at the EFCIA.
In a statement, OAI said that the x-ray scanner is made in China and the global supply chain problems have made it difficult to obtain spares. As a result, the E.F. Correia International Airport (EFCIA) is in the process of replacing it with an (American made) RAPISCAN Scanner, also used at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri.
OAI was responding to a letter in the Kaieteur News on January 11th authored by John Taylor, sections of which were used in a news item in yesterday’s Stabroek News entitled `EFCIA baggage scanner has not worked for eight months’.
The OAI statement denied that the scanner had not been functioning for eight months but did not say for what period of time it has been out of service.
It said that the operations of the x-ray machine have been seriously affected ”on and off” for some time now due to the frequent fluctuation of power supplied to the Airport. The Airport’s management is currently working with the Guyana Power and Light to address this problem since a great deal of other highly technical equipment at the Airport can also be affected.
In the meantime, OAI said that passenger baggage and cargo are subject to 100% visual inspection which it said is actually preferred by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), ensuring that security is not compromised though, admittedly, time consuming. The Airport apologized to the public for the inconvenience caused by this.
OAI also disclosed that the government has recently approved a major Development Plan and Programme for EFCIA’s continuing growth as Guyana’s second International Airport. OAI said that the Plan involves the expansion of the domestic and international terminal, introduction of an air cargo terminal, extension and upgrading of the existing runways and taxiways, warehousing, commercial offices and hotel accommodation.
It added that the Airport is in full compliance with and meets the standards of both the ICAO and the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) Regulations and subject to regular inspection by the GCAA.
