GUYANA is currently courting Air China and two major US airlines to land flights on the local route. This was confirmed by President Donald Ramotar Thursday during the gala launching of the ‘Invest Guyana’ magazine at the Duke Lodge in Kingston, Georgetown, even as he disclosed that plans are in train to have the operators land flights in Guyana as Government moves to restore funds cut from the 2013 national budget.

President Ramotar made this disclosure: “This is the time for us to make investments to open up new poles of growth.”
He subsequently told the Guyana Chronicle that Government is going ahead with negotiations to have the airlines land in Guyana.

The President expressed confidence that the monies cut from the airport estimates would be restored, and said the administration could not wait until that has happened before seeking to secure additional flights to land in Guyana.  

According to the President, Jet Blue has also indicated an interest in landing flights in Guyana, while talks are also underway with Surinam Airways.
Guyana’s economy, he said, will not reach the envisaged heights without the necessary investments.

President Ramotar said that apart from expansion of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, the Amaila Falls hydro electric project and the deep water harbour for which Guyana is currently in negotiations with Brazil are critical investments to deepening and expanding trading ties with especially the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China).

Announcement regarding the move to have Air China land in Guyana comes on the heels of confirmation that Caribbean Airlines has been granted flag-carrier status for Guyana, declared by Head of the Presidential Secretariat and Cabinet Secretary, Dr Roger Luncheon, at his weekly post-Cabinet press briefing at the Office of the President in New Garden Street, Georgetown this past week.

Dr. Luncheon had explained that Government has not placed any significant attention on re-establishing a Government-owned international airline, as the administration usually desists from getting involved in activities that would force it to compete with players in the same sector. He said that Government instead prefers to use its energies to persuade the international carriers about those features of the Guyana market that would attract them to provide services from Guyana to destinations abroad.