THE importance of search-and-rescue was highlighted yesterday when three long-serving Air Services Limited employees were honoured for their contribution to the aviation sector as Guyana celebrates International Civil Aviation Day.

At a simple ceremony at the (ASL) Boardroom, the recently formed aviation body, National Air Transport Association (NATA), honoured Ankar Doobay, a long-serving aviation expert with the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA); GuySuCo pilot Captain Gary Sahai, and Roraima Airways long-serving staff member Bholanauth Baijnath.

In brief remarks, Captain Gerry Gouveia of Roraima Airways told the small gathering that the industry is of importance to the local economy.
Aviation connects the coastland with the rest of Guyana, and is the most efficient form of transportation.
An experienced aviator, Captain Gouveia recognised that each employee, including the pilot, aircraft loader and air traffic controller, plays a vitally role in the sector.

“It is because human resource is always important,” he said, noting that the hanger would be meaningless without the requisite technical personnel to man the operations of an airline.

The seasoned pilot related that he has seen the development of the hinterland over the years, evolving with aviation playing a key role in the process.
In the future, he said, it is vital that all concerned understand the challenges which the country faces in terms of aviation development.

According to Captain Gouveia, search-and-rescue is the number one issue of priority today in Guyana, as it is “about life, human life”.
Capt. Gerry Gouveia who, on many occasions, was involved in search-and-rescue missions, spoke of occasions of aircraft in distress being in sight but being very difficult to reach.
Guyana, he said, lacks the equipment to pursue such cases, but it has been an issue which has been talked about for decades.

He highlighted safety of runways and traffic separation of aircraft by Air Traffic Control (ATC) as other important issues which have to be addressed.

In regard to the latter, Gouveia said pilots corresponding with each other because of the absence of ATC in order to manoeuvre safely while outside of the 75-mile boundary from the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), but this needs to be changed.

He highlighted busy airstrips such as Port Kaituma, Lethem and those in the Mazaruni, where this would be essential.

Deputy Head of the Private Sector Commission (PSC), Edward Boyer, singled out safety as an important factor in aviation, while underscoring the importance of the industry to Guyana.

ASL’s Annette Arjoon-Martins also spoke on the occasion.

World Aviation Day, so referred in most circles, is observed annually on December 7 to raise awareness of the importance of international civil aviation and the role that the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) plays in international air transport.