TRANSPORT Minister Robeson Benn yesterday confirmed to the Guyana Chronicle that there has been some deliberations and continues to be deliberations with respect to fish and fish products passing through the Cheddi Jagan International Airport.

The Minister was at the time responding to questions from this newspaper about word that several items are to be prohibited from passing through the airport.
Benn indicated that there has been no clear directive or deliberations to prohibit any item from passing through the airport except for those which already exist.
With respect to fish and fish products, the minister said that while there is no final word on the arrangement, the initial decision being mooted is for anyone who carries fish to the airport in their luggage or in any other form must declare same to the airport officials and security.
“If you are travelling and you have fish or fish products you must declare that you have it” Benn said.
Asked about the reason for this move, the minister said that over the years, the airport security and officials have noticed that fish is being used as the conductor for the concealing of illegal substances.
He said that once the fish is declared, then it triggers a search in keeping with the new security measure soon to be adopted by the CJIA. All fish must be examined the minister said.
Over the last few years, there have been many innovative ways by persons to ship cocaine outside of Guyana, via the Cheddi Jagan International Airport. Last year the CJIA commissioned a new scanner which has proven to be very effective in detecting illegal substances concealed on persons.
Earlier in the same year, the GRA commissioned another scanner which also has been proving so effective that traditional ways of exporting cocaine through the airport, which were undetectable, are being uncovered .

(By Leroy Smith)