The nominees for the Board of Directors of three agencies are with Cabinet awaiting approval.The Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) and the Cheddi Jagan International Airport Corporation (CJIAC) have been without active Boards ever since the life of the previous boards of those agencies expired.
Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure Annette Ferguson yesterday, through her press office, informed the Guyana Chronicle that the nominees for the boards of the GCAA, GPL and CJIA have been compiled. She said that the lists of nominees have been submitted to Cabinet and are awaiting approval.
This newspaper had reported in September that a new Director General for the GCAA would have been named in October following the “reconfiguration and reintroduction” of the GCAA’s Board. Minister Ferguson clarified yesterday that only board members would be named and not a Director General by the October timeline. Board members for other agencies, which fall under the ambit of the Ministry of Public Infrastructure were also expected to be named by October.
The GCAA has been without a Director General ever since Zulficar Mohamed retired this year from the post after serving the Authority for more than 34-years. Currently acting in the post is Chaitrani Heeralall, the GCAA’s Air Navigation Services Director. Heeralall has been described as the most senior person to hold the post.
In September, Minister Ferguson said that one of the pressing issues facing the aviation body is the appointment of Air Traffic Controllers, who made submissions about lack of appointments over the past eight years. Four internal applicants, the ministry said, were interviewed for the post of Director-General; however, the appointment was stalled due to the dissolution of the Board.
The Board of the CJIA, which was chaired by Ramesh Dookoo, expired this year while the Board of the electricity company expired in June this year and Colin Welch has been acting in the position of Interim CEO in the absence of a Board. He replaced Bharrat Dindyal who was relieved of the position in August.