AIR Services Ltd yesterday issued a statement in response to a Kaieteur News article in Monday’s issue headlined ‘Ogle Airstrip Inc. orders construction to cease… operator claims discrimination’
Following is the statement:
Reference to coverage in Kaieteur Newspaper dated 1st December, 2010, of our allegation of discrimination by Ogle Airport Inc; I would like to point out the following: 1. Mr. K. Nascimento, speaking on behalf of Ogle Airport Inc. and its Chairman, Mr. Michael Correia, said that –

(a) Approval of our lease application could take between three to eight months.
Response: Our application was for one acre adjoining the two acres already approved and surveyed. Why should this application take as long as eight months? This application was made on 18th June, 2010; more than five months ago and to date we have not even had an acknowledgement. It is necessary for us to have the additional acre so that our plans and construction would follow a smooth process;
(b) ASL had been called upon to sign the necessary lease papers (I assume it’s for the 2 acres).
Response: This is not true. We have had no communication from OAI, either orally or in writing indicating that our lease papers are ready to be signed.
(c) CMC (Correia Mining Company) applied since last year to do construction and was only granted permission this year.
Response: This doesn’t say anything about how long the application to approval process took. It could be anywhere between one and 21 months.

2. As a major developer of Ogle since it was owned by Guysuco and a significant shareholder of OAI, ASL is not being informed of what is happening at Board meetings since Captain A. Mazahar Ally was removed from the Board. As such, we are not sure whether other users are in fact complying with policies and procedures.

3. Our infrastructural work on the plot of land, i.e clearing, filling and laying drains, has been going on for about two months without any interference from OAI. It is strange that they are stopping us now when approval for the one acre is, at maximum, less than two months away.

NAVIN HARDOWAR
Personal Assistant to the Managing Director