Members of American Airlines met with the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) on June 12, 2018 at the Authority’s head office in Kingston. The meeting was convened by the Director General, Lt. Col. (Ret’d) Egbert Field, who outlined to the representatives of American Airlines, the requirements they must fulfill before commencing operations in Guyana. American Airlines is interested in providing scheduled flights on the Miami-Georgetown route from November 15, 2018.
The Director-General expressed his pleasure at such a well-established airline showing an interest in the Guyana market. He noted that the GCAA is committed to doing its part in facilitating the application process of American Airlines, while assuring the airline officials of the GCAA’s robust oversight capabilities.
American Airlines has already commenced the process for approval to conduct scheduled operations on the Miami -Georgetown route.
The airline is coming to Guyana at a time when the country, for the first time in its aviation history, will be hosting the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Air Transport Meeting scheduled for November 21 to 23, 2018. The meeting will attract delegates from many of the ICAO 192 member states.
Leading the team from American Airlines was Mr. John Williams, who indicated that American Airlines is enthusiastic about commencing operations in Guyana at the time of the ICAO Air Transport Meeting. American Airlines is hoping to start operations with four flights per week, with plans to operate daily in June 2019.
The seawall from the Kitty pump station to the Pegasus Hotel will be transformed into a world-class waterfront recreational area that also follows government’s green agenda initiative.
This is according to Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, who told DPI the area will have commercial spaces but that “it has to be green; so, we have to look at things such as waste management and sewage disposal because it’s right next to the seawall. So, we have to manage a few things before we start.”
The consultancy for the project has already been awarded and a first report is expected by October. Minister Patterson said the report will provide a scope of what is possible and the cost of the project.
Guyana received a £53.2Million ($14B) grant from the United Kingdom’s Caribbean Infrastructure Fund (UK CIF) to improve or create new recreational areas between Kingston and Ogle (including an overhead walkway from the seawall to the National Park, Stabroek Market and Vreed-en-Hoop. Minister Patterson said the aim is to drive economic growth and boost tourism.
“It [the seawall] already is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country and it will become more popular. So, we didn’t want to rush it, we want to do a bit more studies and then the construction finally. On completion, that will complete the final piece of the puzzle in that area.” The project is expected to be completed by 2019.
By: Ranetta La Fleur.
The first two elevators are being installed at the Providence pedestrian overpass, East Bank Demerara thereby allowing access for disabled people, senior citizens and pregnant women.
Trinidad Company, RBP Lifts Limited is installing the elevators with RM Engineering overseeing the process. All five pedestrian overpasses at Eccles, Houston, Peters Hall, Providence and Diamond will have an elevator on each side of the road. The works at Providence began on June 11 and are expected to be completed in about a week. The remaining installations are expected to be completed by August.
Acting Project Manager for Donor Programme at the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Mark Green told the Department of Public Information (DPI) that the elevators have a one-year warranty and a quarterly maintenance system in place.
“The elevators have a screw drive system which is a simplified and more robust system, so there is no cable like with the normal elevators. They are also built for the outdoor environment; they have a canopy to shade them, are open with glazed glass and have LED lighting,” Green explained. An emergency response system for emergencies during power outages is also in place.
The cost for supply and installation of each elevator is US$61,000 or $12.8M Guyana dollars. Each elevator has a maximum capacity of 400kg or can accommodate about five people. Green stressed that the initiative is critical to bolstering road safety along the East Bank of Demerara – one of the busiest thoroughfares in Guyana.
The Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) held a domestic violence awareness forum for its employees during the period May 29 – June 7, 2018 at the department’s head office and at the Ports and Harbours office respectively.
Child Link Guyana partnered with MARAD in facilitating this event, aimed at heightening awareness among employees regarding the reality of domestic violence in Guyana.
Employees benefitted from these sessions collectively where theories, ideas and experiences were shared amongst each other which enabled a better understanding of domestic violence.
Presenters from Child Link Guyana were Kean Chase, Ashome Clarke, Stacy Parris, and Katina Benn - George, an employee of MARAD, and also a former professional Counsellor of Child Link Guyana.
Some of the areas of focus included ‘Forms of domestic violence’, ‘The Cycle of domestic violence’ and ‘Triggers of domestic violence.’
During the presentation, it was revealed that violence against women occurs in all sectors of society regardless of race, religion, social status, educational or economical background in all countries of the world.
In Guyana, in the years 2013/2014, there were over 3,000 reported domestic violence cases. More than 80% of the victims were females.
By: Akosua McPherson
The Minister also noted that the level of interest expressed by the women is a direct indication of their willingness to be involved in community development and local government positions, a field usually dominated by men.
Based on its mission, the institute has set out to promote and to support women and girls as leaders and decision makers at various level of society through education and training. The agency is facilitating equal access and increased participation in the process of self-development, community development and national development.
This workshop on gender and local government female decision makers, is being held in several regions across the country. It is geared to promote a platform that would equip participants with the requisite skills to improve their individual and institutional competence within their communities.
Gordon Bradford, Regional Chairman of Cuyuni-Mazaruni told the Department of Public Information (DPI) that “the law stipulates that you must have a certain percentage of women in the councils, whether it’s the town councils, M&CC, NDC’s, or the Government itself and I think that this session is to bring information and enlighten our women to the roles that they can also play in leadership.”
From the time of its establishment in 1997 the institute, an agency within the Ministry of Social Protection, has been making significant contributions to the development of women at various levels of society and across all ten regions.
By: Nateshia Isaacs
An agreement is imminent between road users and the government to fund the maintenance of the access road to Amaila Falls in Region Eight.
This move will result in huge savings for tax payers as monies will be directed toward other projects.
At a Post Cabinet briefing today at the Ministry of Presidency, Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson told media operatives that the government is exploring the possibility of a Road Use Agreement to provide guidelines and procedures for road use by individuals or companies.
“The primary user of the road is Troy Resources, along with other miners. It is in passable condition at the moment but no one is maintaining the road, but we’ll be having a road user’s agreement shortly to maintain it,” Minister Patterson explained.
The Amaila Falls access road falls under the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project, which was initiated under the previous administration. The in excess of US$30M road was completed in early 2015 but collapsed in many parts shortly after. Costs ran from US$15M to US$40M.
The access road stretches for some 162 kilometres, most of which is located in Region Eight.
By: Ranetta la Fleur.
Georgetown. June 4, 2018
Twenty four young people from various parts of the country, including Region 9, will commence training as Air Traffic Control Assistants (ATCAs) and Aeronautical Information Management Officers (AIMOs) at the Civil Aviation Training School (CATS) for a period of three months. Director General, Lt. Col. (Ret’d) Egbert Field signed the contracts for the individuals to be trained when he met with them and their guardians at the Head Office of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) on Thursday May31, 2018.
The Director General admonished the students to take the training with the seriousness it deserves, and to embrace it as the GCAA prepares them for a rewarding career. “This is not a job, and don’t think of this training as a job, it’s a career, a life changing career, one that is both rewarding and gratifying” Col. Field said.
The Guardians for the students were also charged to ensure that the students maintain discipline during the period of training. “I need all of them to be successful in this training, I don’t want any failures. The GCAA have very high standards and we will not settle for second best or substandard, so if they are going astray, you have a responsibility to ensure that you get them in line” the Director General said.
The candidates were selected from a batch of one hundred and twenty applicants after their successful performance at an aptitude test which was administered by the Civil Aviation Training School. The candidates will receive a stipend each month during the period of training. Upon successful completion of the training, candidates will be offered full time employment at the GCAA.
An analysis done by engineers has determined that there are now 30-second delays as opposed to the previous 80 seconds. The said analysis also recommends that traffic signals be installed west-bound to Kitty Public Road and north-bound to JB Chandisingh Street. The lights will only be utilised during peak hours.
Accordingly, those found disregarding the rules will be charged. “My plea is use the roundabout responsibly,” Minister Patterson said.
He told invitees to the opening ceremony, among them Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo and Minister of Public Telecommunications, Catherine Hughes, that Monday’s opening symbolises much more than that, as it’s part of “a long and well-thought-out programme”.
PRE-ROUNDABOUT Before the roundabout was constructed, Carifesta Avenue was upgraded. The project was completed in 2016 by H. Nauth and Sons to the tune of $147M.
On completion of the Carifesta Avenue upgrades, the MOPI then began replacing all of the pipe works in the area in 2017. This project was awarded to Colin Talbot. The contractor installed new culverts, along with pipes along Vlissengen Road, Kitty and Carifesta Avenue to assist with improving the drainage in the area.
That aside, the Minister noted that the signing of the contract for the road project from Better Hope to Belfield serves as part of his ministry’s road improvement project. The Kitty roundabout forms part and parcel of that project. Completed by Hardware Supplies and Construction Services at a cost of $79M, the Minister said there are still a few outstanding items to be included within the environs of the roundabout.
“It is finished, but we have some outstanding items. We have the landscaping to complete; an area in the centre of the roundabout.
“After immense discussion, we have decided that the landscaping will depict flowers of the Caribbean in keeping with Carifesta Avenue,” Patterson said, adding that the government will be engaging suitable private sector partners to work with it on the project through Public Private Partnerships (PPP).
ADDITIONAL WORKS Additionally, the Ministry has to install traffic lights, as well as paint the median and curbs. The final part of the project, Patterson disclosed, would be the waterfront development from Kitty to behind the Pegasus Hotel. He said the area at reference, which is a popular tourist attraction and hangout spot for Guyanese, will be upgraded to a commercial space, with kiosks among other facilities.
A consultant has been awarded the contract to conduct a study on this leg of the development, and according to Patterson, the first report is expected in October this year. That report is expected to detail, among other things, the cost to have the plan executed, and the scope of work to be done.
“We didn’t want to rush it; we want to do studies,” the minister said, indicating that he is hoping that the project will begin next year and conclude by late 2019.
MORE ROUNDABOUTS Meanwhile, the MOPI said that while the Kitty roundabout is the first one to have been completed, two others are expected to be completed during the course of this year and 2019. One is to be located at the Timehri Junction on the East Bank Demerara (EBD), and the other at the Mandela-Sheriff Street area.
Work has reportedly begun at the Timehri Junction, with Geico being awarded the contract for $74M. Minister Patterson also reported that his ministry is in receipt of some 1500 brand new LED street lights, which will soon be installed all across the country. A second batch of LED lights is expected in country next week.
Over in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), the island of Wakenaam, and the stretch of road from Supenaam to Anna Regina will have their lights installed within the next six weeks, while other areas which stand to benefit are Vreed-en-Hoop to Philander, Bourda Market Square, Aubrey Barker Road, South Ruimveldt, Ithaca in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), Mackenzie and Wismar in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), and Palmyra in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne). Other communities will benefit from the second batch of LED lights.
Minister Patterson disclosed that due to the spate of road accidents, his ministry will only be using thermoplastic paints when striping the roadways. “We are doing it country-wide, and we will be re-striping the country,” he said.
ALLOWANCES The roundabout allows for reduced delays, reduced travel times and fuel consumption, and is also geared at reducing the severity of collisions. The current intersection at the roundabout has three stages of movement, and five stages of signalisation. In the first stage of movement, vehicles turning right from Carifesta Avenue are allowed to do so, while vehicles heading west along the Kitty Public Road have to yield before making a right turn.
In the second stage, vehicles that were previously turning right from Carifesta Avenue onto Vlissengen Road will now have to stop and allow vehicles to go to Kitty Public Road. In the final stage, vehicles heading north along JB Chandisingh Street and turning onto the Rupert Craig Highway will now be allowed to; as a consequence, vehicles heading west and east will be required to stop.
Guyana Chronicle report.
BRIDGE COLLAPSE AT YAMATWAO | Following reports of the collapse of the Yamatwao Bridge in South Rupununi, Region 9, a team from the Ministry of Public Infrastructure is being dispatched to assess the severity of the damage and cost to rehabilitate.
The Ministry has been made to understand that the collapse occurred as a flatbed truck carrying an excavator attempted to cross the bridge. The overweight vehicle overextended the bridge’s capabilities, thereby causing the collapse.
This incident compounds the Ministry’s call to road users within the hinterland to strictly adhere to weight limits, especially during the wet season, since non-adherence can lead to structural failures, as demonstrated now. This incident is not the first of its kind and road users are reminded that they will be held accountable in instances of non-compliance to weight limits.
Bridge collapses also affect communities, since they make traffic impassable and cut entire villages off from the rest of the country and road users are urged to remain cognisant of their responsibilities to properly use the roadways.
A Port Security Access Card (PSAC) system donated by the United States today will significantly tighten up security at ports in Guyana.
The equipment was handed over at the US Embassy by Ambassador Perry Holloway to Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson and Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) Director, Claudette Rogers.
“This ID card programme will allow MARAD to have greater governmental oversight on who is allowed access to International Ship and Port Facility (ISPS) Code compliant facilities in Guyana,” Ambassador Holloway told the media.
Patterson explained that the equipment will produce identification cards for employees working at ports and also reduce the security checks for other stakeholders who visit frequently…MARAD will hold sensitization programmes with owners and operators before implementation.”
Ambassador Holloway added, “It was quite easy to get access to the port and now it’s going to be much more difficult and not only is it difficult but if there is need for an investigation or there are accusations, they are going to be able to go this electronic system and have a record of who was in the port at what part at what time. So this (equipment) basically gives you control of the port.”
The idea to implement the system, valued at US$8,000, stemmed from a visit by a MARAD team to the US Coast Guard base in Louisiana back in 2014. There the team benefitted from the United States (US) Transportation Workers Identification Card system (TWIC), and subsequently held discussions on how MARAD could implement a similar system in Guyana.
Guyana adopted the ISPS code in 2004 following the September 11th 2001 terrorist attacks and has since made significant improvements in its overall port security performance score, increasing its compliance from 58 to 84 per cent in just one year. Ambassador Holloway recalled that since 2010 the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI) has provided over $437M in funds for training and equipment in the Caribbean.
