THE Ministry of Home Affairs and Ogle Airport Incorporated signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on Monday, at Ogle International Airport, East Coast Demerara. The documentation sets out the professional arrangement for operations of Guyana Fire Service (GFS) at the terminal and the signatories were Home Affairs Ministry Permanent Secretary, Ms. Angela Johnson and Mr. Anthony Mekdeci, Chief Executive Officer and Project Coordinator of Ogle Airport.
Under it, Ogle Airport Inc. is required to maintain and operate in accordance with the standards and recommended practices of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
The GFS, under the umbrella of the Ministry, is to provide rescue and firefighting services at and in the vicinity of Ogle Airport, in accordance with the standards and recommended practices contained in ICAO Annex 14 Aerodrome and ICAO Doc 9137 Airport Services Manual – Rescue and Fire Fighting Services.
Minister of Home Affairs, Mr. Clement Rohee said that the signing was an historic occasion for the parties, they having met to implement a framework agreement, which, eventually, became the MOU.
He said a lot went into the initiative and one could discern the vision of those who manage the airport.
Rohee told the gathering, at Ogle, that Guyana is rapidly developing and, as such, all sectors have seen massive modernisation including at that airport.
Prior to the MOU signing, a fire and mass casualty simulation exercise was conducted to test the capabilities of the airport, in its response to any incidents surrounding a crash or blaze.
The demonstration was supervised by visiting United States (U.S.) firefighting instructor and technical rescue consultant, Mr. Jack McGovern. (Michel Outridge)