– Benn also slams ‘carrion crow journalism’ being pedaled by some opposition media houses
“The atmosphere which is created or which pervades our national development efforts, coming from some sections of the media, is one which I would say and I am speaking personally, does a disservice to the efforts not simply of the Government but to our working people, to our engineers, to our administrators and to all of those people who work hard everyday to develop our country. And, as Minister of Transport and Hydraulics, I want to be among the first to decry those efforts, to condemn them. I have said before that much of what comes out is what I can only term as carrion crow journalism.” – Minister Robeson Benn

MINISTER of Transport and Hydraulics, Mr. Robeson Benn said Wednesday that the development of the Ogle Airport, on the East Coast of Demerara, as an international terminal is part of the efforts to develop the transportation sector.

“This development is a continuing tranche, a part of our effort in respect of developing our transport infrastructure, in respect to making it more efficient, more safe and, as was previously said, to serve not only Guyana but the region,” he stated.

NO HOLDS BARRED’: Minister Robeson Benn speaking at Ogle Airport on Wednesday afternoon.

The function was attended, as well, by President Bharrat Jagdeo, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, other Ministers of Government, CARICOM Secretary General Edwin Carrington, Head of the European Commission Delegation, Ambassador Geert Heikens and more members of the Diplomatic Corps.

Benn said 39 airstrips are active throughout this country and they are being maintained and “providing good service to the people in the hinterland who desire it and are in great need.”

He said Government is continuing to invest at Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Timehri, East bank Demerara, which covers the entire airspace and air traffic control with some $720M intended to improve and upgrade the air navigation systems and communications.

According to Benn, more than $300M have been invested with respect to upgrading the CJIA tarmac and some $30M to improve the communications, too, at the Ogle airdrome.

“All of these efforts are directed towards improving transport safety, efficiency and usefulness for all of our people,” he pointed out.

Benn said Ogle Airport is one which all must be proud of and called on the Ogle Airport Inc. to run it as an international airport and, specifically, with respect to serving the CARICOM area and developing the tourism issues in conjunction with regional partners.

He said more attention has to be paid to continuously improving issues relating to safety and efficiency practices.

CHALLENGES

“I will be the first to admit that sometimes we don’t do things with the alacrity or with the efficiency that is required but, in all of the things we do, we need to see them as challenges which we can overcome, which we can surmount,” Benn added.

He condemned reports in some sections of the media regarding national development.

Benn said he was particularly pleased because, sometimes, when one looks at the newspapers in the morning (some sections of the Press) and one reads them and there are somethings called blogs…and, if you read some of these things, you want to wonder where you live or what really is going on.”

“The atmosphere which is created or which pervades our national development efforts, coming from some sections of the media, is one which I would say and I am speaking personally, does a disservice to the efforts not simply of the Government but to our working people, to our engineers, to our administrators and to all of those people who work hard everyday to develop our country.

“And, as Minister of Transport and Hydraulics, I want to be among the first to decry those efforts, to condemn them.

“I have said before that much of what comes out is what I can only term as carrion crow journalism,” he remarked.

“I want all of us, when we come to these events and we see the landscape of our country being transformed, we need to close ranks around issues of national development of Guyana,” Benn exhorted.

He went on: “I want to again say that the issues of self-degradation and fatalism, in respect of our national development efforts, have to be rejected by all of us, because, if we are unable to reject it, if we are unable to set aside any issues of doubt that might be engendered, we would not be able to develop Guyana and we will not be able to retain our people.”

About the Ogle accomplishment, Benn said: “We have done this together and we can continue to do more and more to develop our country. We must erase all issues of self-doubt in respect of developing our country.”

He took the opportunity to thank the European Union (EU) and CARICOM for supporting the project and congratulated Ogle Airport Inc. for its achievement.