Aviation Advisor to the government Lenox Shuman has resigned from his post with the intention of establishing a “100% Guyanese-owned” airline.
According to a letter of resignation, dated December 1, 2023, signed by Shuman, a pilot, and addressed to President Irfaan Ali, the airline is set to be launched on August 20 of this year.
“This resignation is being affected to facilitate me undertaking establishing a Guyanese Airline – El’Dorado Airlines Inc., and my continued role as Aviation Advisor would put me in a position of conflict of interest,” the letter stated.
When contacted for information regarding this proposed airline, Director General of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) Lt. Col. Egbert Field expressed surprise and stated that he is unaware of such a venture.
He further explained that an individual can speak of putting together an airline or be thinking about or planning it, but an application has to first be submitted and approved by the GCAA before any action can be taken in that direction. On this note, Field stated that no such application has been submitted, to his knowledge.
The former Operations Inspector of the Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority (JCAA) further noted that once the required documentation has been submitted to the GCAA, it would usually take approximately 12 months to two years for approval/certification to be given.
“It doesn’t matter if one is a pilot… it is no fly-by-night type of certification…, ” he stated, whilst explaining that once an application would have been submitted, the Aviation Authority then has to look into such aspects as whether or not there is adequate personnel, the security, economics, etc. Furthermore, he said if the airline is local then an aircraft has to be acquired (either bought or leased) and the aircraft has to be registered in Guyana.
Field added, “Anyone wanting to start an airline I would invite them to submit an application because that is what we are here for… we are here to support the development of aviation in Guyana”.
This newspaper also contacted Shuman, and while he declined to provide details on the proposed airline he noted that it will be 100% Guyanese-owned. The former parliamentarian and Deputy Speaker added that the Guyanese public deserves better services that what is currently being provided to them and “our airline is meant to do that”.
“We will not be in competition with Caribbean Airlines or [the others]… we’re going to provide a service and it will be up to them to rise to meet the standards… they will have to compete with us,” Shuman, the Leader of the Liberty and Justice Party, further stated.
In the letter, he noted that his resignation and the idea to establish an airline arose from his observation of “several clarion calls by Your Excellency, and a corresponding echo from the travelling Guyanese public for the establishment of a Guyanese Airline”.
According to Shuman’s letter, the resignation took effect from January 9.
“I avail myself to assisting the Government in any capacity you see fit for the continued development of Guyana,” the letter concluded.
