As Guyana moves to the second phase of reopening the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) on July 01, a team of official from the Ministry of Public Health, the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority and Immigration toured the airport and are satisfied that all is in place.
The officials checked on the efficiency of the airport’s procedures – from arrival to port health checks and the various services necessary for entry into Guyana. They also looked at departure procedures and measures in place to allow safe travel.
CJIA has installed a number of COVID-19 guidelines and procedures to ensure the safety of passengers and staff when the airport reopens.
“If there is a deviation from these requirements, there are provisions where we can take some enforcement to keep everyone in check,” said Abraham Doris, Aviation Security Manager at the Aviation Authority.
The Aviation Authority will also have a team dedicated to conducting frequent surveillance to ensure the airport and airline operators are in compliance with the guidelines and procedures.
Chief Medical Officer, Dr Shamdeo Persaud noted that the systems in place may be more than the usual systems for travelling but asked that passengers fully cooperate for their safety and the safety of others.
“We want to provide you with the kind of care and service that will help you and help us as we all join hands together to control further introduction of COVID-19 in Guyana and any spread that might result from that. I look forward for full cooperation,” Dr Persaud said.
Meanwhile, Director for Air Transport, Saheed Sulaman said it is essential that all airlines, passengers and other stakeholders understands what is required under the new COVID-19 requirements.
“We are working to make sure that we have all the systems in place.
“The airlines understand what will be the new requirements to operate into Georgetown and the airport is also prepared to facilitate the movement of airlines and passengers safely through the airport and then into Guyana.
“We did a walk through and we are pleased with what we have seen and the measures the airport would have put in place,” Sulaman said.
The country is in first of the four phases of the reopening, which is the planning stage.
This will run until the end of this month and includes repatriation flights, special organized flights, outgoing flights, medevac flights, technical stops, training and also establishing regulations and standard operating procedures.
The second phase –implementation- includes the reopening for limited incoming flights for returning Guyanese and international workers scheduled to start on July 1, 2020, to July 31, 2020.
The third phase will include an expansion of the second phase and will run from August 1, 2020, to December 31, 2020, and is expected to include scheduled outgoing flights.
Guyana’s airports are likely to be become fully operational again in early 2021.
