CJIA expansion to accommodate 700,000 passengers –Min Patterson
Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson and Chief Executive Officer of the CJIA, Ramesh Ghir, in discussion during a tour of the facility recently
Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson and Chief Executive Officer of the CJIA, Ramesh Ghir, in discussion during a tour of the facility recently

GUYANA is a decade ahead of schedule in its percentage of passengers that are expected to be serviced as a result of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) Expansion Project, according to Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson.

“It is designed to accommodate 700,000 passengers, but we will hit that peak before the anticipated 2031,” the minister noted.

Last year, the highest passenger movement was recorded through the country’s main port of entry, CJIA. Between January 1 and December 31, 2018, according to the airport, 630,143 passengers were processed as compared to 592,053 in 2017.

The new arrivals terminal at the Timehri airport

Additionally, for the first time, arriving passengers represented a larger percentage of the total number. In fact, international passenger arrivals for 2018 was 325,800 or nine percent higher than 2017.

Patterson noted that the challenge is to expand services around the airport.

Meanwhile, the initial deadline of the CJIA Expansion Project was December 31st 2018, and, according to Minister Patterson, the government will hold the Chinese firm to this deadline, since government did not grant an extension

“In our opinion, we felt that the contractor did not have adequate resources coming on to the end to ensure that he meets his contractual obligations … So, there are penalties in the contract. We are in the penalty phase, so it is the contractor’s obligation to finish the project,” Minister Patterson explained.

He said 92 percent of the work had been completed thus far.

“The contractor has submitted a revised schedule and he said he will be finished by March 31, 2019. We have noted that, and that is how we will proceed,” noted Minister Patterson.
It was noted that the penalties would include US$7,000 a day to a maximum of five per cent of the contract sum, of which US$8M remains.

Outstanding works to be completed include the south-west runway extension pavement works and sections of the Departure Terminal, namely immigration, security screening, and duty-free concession areas.
Meanwhile, of the 328 persons working on the project, 208 are Guyanese. This represents 63 percent. The contract had an agreement of a minimum of 40 per cent Guyanese labour.

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