– The Cheddi Jagan International Airport Project

AS Guyana continues on the trajectory of growth and development, the Government has recognised that investment in public infrastructure programmes, aimed at putting the country on par with that of other nations in the Caribbean and South America, will spur the transformation of the country’s socio-economic and physical landscape.

One such infrastructural development project is the Cheddi Jagan International Airport Expansion Project, a US$150 million initiative, which President David Granger has described as the ‘gateway to a modern Guyana.’

In this week’s edition of Government in Action, we will take a look at how the project has evolved from one shrouded in secrecy and controversy, to one that will now ensure that Guyanese and visitors alike, enjoy the facilities of an international airport with modern amenities, designed to accommodate the rising number of visitor arrivals.

A project once shrouded in secrecy
In 2011, news broke through the Jamaica Observer newspaper that the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) administration had signed a secret deal with China Harbour Engineering Company for the expansion of the CJIA.

In 2014, the PPP administration took the project to the National Assembly. Despite questions raised by the then Opposition about how the proposed US$150 million for the project would be spent, no answers were forthcoming. The Opposition, then the Alliance for Change (AFC) and the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), jointly took a decision to vote against the project, during the 2014 Budget debates. Despite this, the PPP went ahead with the project, but in 2015, after the General and Regional elections, the Coalition Government mandated Minister of Public Infrastructure, Mr. David Patterson to review the expansion project under a different model than the one presented by the previous government.

The new model caters for the expansion and extension of the runway to satisfy international requirements for large aircraft landing and operating out of the CJIA and a modified airport terminal, which would allow them to complete the project with the available funds. Two years later and the project is on stream for a December 2018, completion.

Gateway to a ‘modern Guyana’
While the anticipated deadline for the total completion of the airport is December 31, 2018, on September 22, 2018, history was created as the Arrivals and Departures Terminal was formally opened. This opening also saw the operationalising of the two boarding bridges.

The terminal building, which was renovated in the 1960s and 1990s, has been transformed into a state-of-the-art facility.

Chief Executive Officer of CJIA, Mr. Ramesh Ghir, in an interview with the Public Information and Press Services Unit of the Ministry of the Presidency, said that since the opening of these facilities, the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.

“We opened the new Arrivals Terminal and as a result, all arriving passengers will be using this facility. The feedback from both passengers and the airport stakeholders has been positive so far, and we will continue to work to improve passenger experience. All departing passengers will also utilise the Boarding Corridor and Passenger Boarding Bridges. For now, these passengers will be restricted to only half of the Check-In and Departures Terminal.

Completion of the rest of the terminal is slated for the end of the year,” he said.

Mr. Ghir said that the new terminal is approximately 70 per cent or at least two and half times larger than the old terminal and therefore allows for passengers to traverse in a spacious and comfortable environment.

At the opening of the new Arrivals Terminal, the incoming passengers, particularly Guyanese, who were treated to locally produced snacks and juices, were beaming with pride and joy as their eyes flickered from left to right, taking in the transformation. Doreen Jonas, an overseas-based Guyanese returning home for vacation was visibly lost for words as she expressed her excitement with the new facility. Jonas said that she is “impressed” as she noted that Guyana has really “stepped up.”

Mr. Hemraj Kissoon, a businessman, had just returned to Guyana from Shanghai and South Korea, and as he entered the new terminal he could not help but remark that the new facilities reminded him of “one of the developed countries.” He said that the facility is “beautiful” and it is evident that “Guyana is going somewhere.”

Dr. Yanick Vibert, who is in Guyana as part of the Bridges Global Missions programme, disclosed that this is her third time here. She said that the new infrastructural developments “show that Guyana isn’t limited by the label of developing country.”

At the close of the project this year-end, the runway will be extended from 7,500 to 10,800 feet, which will accommodate almost every large aircraft. Already, Project Manager at the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Mr. Carmichael Thorne said that the runway in the North East direction is almost completed.

“As you know, the runway is being extended in two directions. The northeast direction is completed with regards to the pavement works. There are some minor works like the lighting and so on that are now being installed but to commission this area, beyond construction, we are required to process documents with the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and we have already commenced that process. As soon as the stipulated waiting period has elapsed, we will open that area and we are looking at a November opening for that area,” he said.

The benefit of an extended runway and new terminal building is two-fold. With an extended runway, the country’s aviation operators will be able to entice and attract larger transatlantic aircraft, which means that the passenger flow will be significantly increased.

The key components of the Airport Expansion Project are four passenger boarding bridges, a CCTV system with approximately 300 cameras, the new terminal building area, 32 check-in counters and a 450-seat departure area, as well as elevators and escalators. Passengers can also expect additional shopping and duty-free concessions along with a wide variety of restaurants and fast food outlets.

Further to this, Mr. Thorne said that on October 1, 2018, several other facilities, including the apron for parking will be opened.

“On Monday, we will be opening the new remote apron parking for larger aircraft and we will also be opening a second area of the departure lounge, which will allow arriving passengers with connections to connect directly to the departure lounges. So these areas are slated for immediate opening. We have also procured two additional air bridges which will arrive in October and set up by November,” he said.

At the end of the project, a roundabout will also be constructed outside the airport to reduce traffic congestion and to allow for a faster exit from the airport zone.

The transformative project has been described by President Granger as the new ‘gateway to a modern Guyana.’ During a tour of the airport in January, the Head of State said that with the emerging oil and gas sector and development of the ‘Green’ State Development Strategy (GSDS), it is important for there to be greater efficiency in the service provided at Guyana’s main entry point, since he expects that there will be an influx of tourists and investors. He, therefore, charged the management and staff of the CJIA to commit to ensuring that the operations of the newly modernised airport are defined by efficiency, high standards and quality service.

“This is the entry point for the modern state. It is very important to our development.

Infrastructure would attract tourists, and now that we are embarking on a new industry people would want to come in their numbers and they should be coming to Guyana at a modern airport. In time to come, we should be able to put a time on visitors, meaning that no visitor should be able to spend more than 10 minutes in the airport. We need an efficient service so that as soon as someone lands, they can be on their way, of course, after satisfying all security requirements. We need to plan for the future,” he said.

“It will be very functional and it is very important to the future development of our country. It is the gateway to the ‘green’ state and I hope these can be reflected in the murals so that it can showcase the character of the country. It is also a gateway not just to the Caribbean but South America as well, so it is an important cultural statement as well.

From a functional point of view, a major problem in Guyana is the absence of adequate infrastructure and, many people do not come to Guyana because it is very bothersome because there are a few direct flights and so this is very functional,” the President said.
The airport’s CEO echoed the sentiments shared by the Head of State, noting that the airport, when unveiled, will become the gateway to the ‘green’ economy and a major contributor to Guyana’s development.

“This is our main international airport and we process about 600,000 passengers a year. Lots of visitors, persons from the Diaspora returning to Guyana and business travel use this port of entry. In addition, the airport itself contributes significantly; aviation contributes just about three per cent of the GDP [gross domestic product] for Guyana. In our estimate, with the expansion work, for example, we’re probably going to have another 200 persons employed within the airport environment. So apart from its contribution to the economy, with the expansion of the airport, it will also allow us to attract, what we call, large Trans-Atlantic flights. The next most important thing, I think, is that we’re going to benefit from the oil and gas [sector] and we’re going to have so many suppliers and business traffic coming. I think the expansion of the airport is opportune,” he said.

Mr. Ghir further noted that over the past few months, the management has received several expressions of interest from investors to do business at the airport. Some of these proposals require large capital outlay. This, he noted, is a clear demonstration of the confidence of investors in Guyana’s economy and confirmation that Guyana is now the place of choice to do business.

“I fully endorse the vision of our President and truly believe that this airport will not only become the gateway to a ‘modern Guyana’, but is also set and poised to become the gateway to the Caribbean and South America. Earlier today, I met with a potential carrier that presented a strong case for airlift between a South American country and North America, using Guyana as the hub for connection. We have been experiencing an average of nine per cent increase in passenger movements for the last three years and, we have no doubt that this will increase even further given the developments taking place in our country,” he said.

Airport efficiency
With a modern airport, however, come the challenges of security, health and adequate customer staffing and customer satisfaction. Mr. Ghir said that management has taken these into consideration and has already begun putting systems in place.

With regard to staffing, the CEO said that the expansion and completion of the airport will create additional job opportunities for Guyanese. The Airport Corporation is expected to hire an additional 120 employees between 2018 and 2019.

“We anticipate that the other stakeholders at the airport will recruit a combined total of 200 persons to their staff complement by the end of 2019,” he said.

In relation to security measures, Mr. Ghir said that in addition to a tight security arrangement at the airport and the presence of a body scanner, the airport’s management has commenced the procurement process for a Cargo Scanner, which is capable of processing pallet-type cargo. This will enhance detection capability and assist with the timely processing of cargo through the airport. Additionally, the Hold Baggage Scanner and Hand Baggage Scanners will also be upgraded. These will improve the processing time for passengers and will enhance and aid the tasks performed by Screeners and Law Enforcement officials.

In January, the Airport facilitated a visit from representatives from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) of the United States, who were in Guyana to conduct a security audit at the airport. Guyana performed well in that audit but CJIA management, under the guidance of the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, is looking to improve efficiency and security through training.

Further to this, the CJIA continues to partner with the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) and other partners to upgrade the skills and training of all frontline staff.

“As the ‘Gateway to Guyana’, we recognise that it is important that all employees appreciate that they are ambassadors of our beloved Guyana and, we take every opportunity to train and remind them of this important responsibility,” the CEO said.

There is a Port Health Authority located on site to deal with medical emergencies as well as the Guyana Defence Force’s Medical Corps nearby. With regard to emergencies, such as fires and accidents, the airport is outfitted with two reservoirs at the end of both sides of the runway, and a sprinkler water system in the terminal building. Safety drills are conducted on a frequent basis, with more than 300 stakeholders involved.

As Guyana prepares for the oil and gas industry while pursuing a ‘green’ economy, there is no doubt that the country will become one of the most sought-after investment destinations in the Caribbean and South America. The modern Cheddi Jagan International Airport will, therefore, become the gateway to the new Guyana, where rapid development and a good life for all Guyanese will beckon. Already, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Airport is optimistic that the airport will be able to offer a memorable experience to all visitors.