OGLE International Airport was yesterday hailed as a perfect example of the benefits of a public/private sector partnership in the development of  infrastructure  in Guyana.
President Donald Ramotar noted that the Berbice Bridgewas one successful example, and said he is hoping that a

newbridge across the Demerara River could be realized through a similar collaboration between government and the private sector.
He made the remarks while delivering a feature address at the certification of Ogle International Airport as a Regional Class Airport at Ogle, East Coast Demerara, yesterday afternoon.
He said, “As we all know, infrastructural development is extremely expensive, and the need to mobilize and garner resources so that we can accelerate development of our infrastructure is vitally important. The Ogle International Airport is indeed a model that we will have to use in other big and important infrastructural development projects that we need.”
Ogle Airport Inc. (OAI) is managed and operated by private sector investors under a private lease agreement with the Government of Guyana.
OAI developed the airport to its current status through private sector investment to the tune of $1.2B and support from the European Union, the Government of Guyana as a partner.
The opening ceremony yesterday was attended by several members of the Diplomatic Corps, including the Ambassadors of Canada, Suriname, Portugal, Brazil, Mexico and the European Union.
Other special invitees, guests included Mr. Edwin Carrington former Secretary General of CARICOM, Mr. Anthony Xavier former Minister of Transport, Chief Executive Officer of LIAT Mr. Ian Brunton and his staffers, Director General of the Trinidad and Tobago Civil Aviation Authority Mr. Ramesh Lutchmedial,  Director General of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) Mr.  Zulfikar Mohamed, Senior GCAA Staffers, Chief Executive Officer and Project Coordinator of Ogle Airport Management Col. Anthony Mekdeci, Chief Executive Officer of the Art Williams and Harry Wendt Aeronautical  Engineer School (AWHWAES), and Executive Director of the Aircraft Owners Association of Guyana (AOAG) Captain Malcolm Chan-a-Sue.
The speakers included Chairman of the Private Sector Commission Mr. Ronald Webster, Minister of Transport and Hydraulics Mr. Robeson Benn, Chief Executive Officer of LIAT Mr. Ian Brunton and Chairman of the Board of Ogle International Airport Mr. Michael Correia Jnr.
Mr. Ronald Webster said that the certification of OIA as a Regional Airport was a significant milestone in the beginning of the second century of aviation in Guyana.
He stressed that public/private sector partnership in a developing country is the way to go.
Minister Benn said that the successful completion of the upgrade of the airport by the management team was a signal example of what could be achieved when all stakeholders work together.
“We Guyanese work best when we work together in the national interest,” he said.
He said that the example of the achievements of OAI  in upgrading the airport, in safety and co-operation and coordination held lessons for the rest of Guyana in terms of working towards common objectives in the national interest.
CEO of LIAT Mr Ian Brunton said that many persons recently polled by the airline had indicated that they would prefer to land at Ogle Airport rather than Cheddi Jagan International Airport because of the convenience of its proximity to Georgetown.
LIAT had also decided that the proximity to Georgetown would give the company a competitive edge.
“Flying to Ogle would also reduce flying time, an average of ten minutes per flight, which would result in significant annual fuel reduction for LIAT, approximately 19,300 gallons per year.”
He said that LIAT was hoping to be able to begin flights to Ogle beginning by mid-year.
There was also the presentation of the Trinidad and Tobago Civil Aviation Authority (TTCAA) Aviation Training Organization (ATO) approval certificate to the Art Williams and Harry Wendt Aeronautical Engineering School by Mr. Ramesh Lutchmedial, Director General of the TTCAA.
This was followed by the presentation of special awards to former President Mrs. Janet Jagan, Mr Edwin Carrington, Mr. Per Ecklund and Mr Anthony Xavier by Mr. Correia.
President Ramotar received the posthumous award for  Mrs. Janet Jagan, while Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, the Dutch  OCTs, and CARICOM Ambassador Robert Kopecky accepted that for Mr. Per Ecklund.
Former Secretary General of CARICOM Mr. Edwin Carrington and former Minister Anthony Xavier received their awards directly.
The programme had been preceded by the arrival of the first LIAT flight to Ogle Airport, which had brought the CEO of LIAT and other invited guests.
It was also preceded by President Donald Ramotar being taken on a demonstration flight on the  first ever jet aircraft to land at Ogle Airport Inc., a Cessna Citation XLS+ corporate jet .
Trans Guyana Airways (TGA) disclosed that they brought the Cessna Citation XLS+ jet in collaboration with  their Caribbean distributor, Tropical Aviation Distributors (TAD) for demonstration flights in Guyana.
TGA disclosed that the expansion and certification of Ogle International Airport has now made possible corporate or private executive jet travel easily accessible from Georgetown at Ogle International Airport.