DESPITE increased concessions to privately owned local airline operators, residents of hinterland communities across Guyana continue to face challenges transporting goods and travelling due to rising airfares and freight charges.
On Monday, during a cabinet outreach in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), President Dr. Irfaan Ali announced that the government will move swiftly, engaging all stakeholders to establish long-term relief for citizens.
President Ali said every community in the area had raised concerns about the high cost of travel and moving goods, despite government support for private air operators.
He noted that the administration has already provided extensive concessions to these operators, including tax breaks and investments in aviation infrastructure, aimed at making air services more affordable.
“We have given all the concessions… zero tax on fuels… we’re investing in the runways, making it safer, less wear and tear for them, to revert back on the air ticket, but we are not getting the corresponding returns from them,” President Ali said.
The President indicated that, based on information received, the problem appears to lie not only with the operators but with intermediaries in the system.
“They have said that the problem is the middleman… they said they’re selling the middleman seats and capacity, and the middleman, they are inflating the price far beyond what they are selling,” he explained.
To address this, President Ali announced that a series of consultations will be held in the coming week, led by the competent minister, to explore practical measures to support communities and reduce transport costs.
These talks are expected to bring together stakeholders in the air transport chain, with the aim of ensuring that the benefits of government concessions are passed on to consumers and villages, particularly in the movement of essential goods.
The President said the government will “find ways in supporting the communities, supporting the villages in reducing the cost of their transport.”