MOTIVATED by the rapid growth in air travel and heightened demand for airport services, Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance and the Public Service, Dr. Ashni Singh, has announced the allocation of $7 billion in the 2025 national budget for a new world-class terminal at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).

During his budget presentation, Dr. Singh emphasised the need for significant upgrades at CJIA and Eugene F. Correia (Ogle) International Airports, driven by increased passenger traffic and Guyana’s booming tourism and economic sectors. “Due to the growth in flights and passengers, the CJIA has outgrown its capacity,” he said. “The PPP/C will invest in a new 150,000-square-foot terminal that will enhance capacity and efficiency.”
The state-of-the-art facility will reflect Guyana’s natural beauty and feature expanded duty-free zones, retail spaces, rental offices, lounges, and a dedicated in-transit area. The terminal will also separate arrival and departure operations into distinct buildings, transitioning CJIA into a modern, internationally competitive airport.

Dr. Singh highlighted the government’s commitment to domestic infrastructure, noting the completion of rehabilitated hinterland airstrips in Baramita, Paruima, Port Kaituma, Phillipai, and Lethem. In 2024, expansions included airstrip works in Eteringbang, Ekereku Bottom, Kaieteur, Kaikan, and Karisparu. For 2025, $2.5 billion has been earmarked for airstrip projects in Apoteri, Aishalton, Chenapou, Jawalla, and Sand Creek.

The minister also criticised the state of the CJIA project under the previous APNU+AFC government, calling it a “botched” initiative with reduced scope, higher costs, and little to show in results. The PPP/C government, he explained, had to salvage the project through renegotiations to restore it to acceptable standards.

Dr. Singh’s 2025 budget presentation, themed “A secure, prosperous, and sustainable Guyana,” unveiled the largest budget in the nation’s history at $1.382 trillion, marking the second consecutive year surpassing the trillion-dollar threshold. He underscored the administration’s focus on economic advancement and improving the quality of life for all Guyanese through strategic investments in infrastructure and development.