TIMEHRI - COPA Airline, the flag carrier of Panama, officially made Guyana its 67th destination after it touched down at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Timehri Friday, July 11, 2014 starting a direct link between Panama and Georgetown, Guyana.
Beginning today, COPA started offering nonstop service, twice weekly between Guyana and COPA’s Hub of the Americas at Tocumen International Airport, Panama with connecting service throughout South Central and North America, and the Caribbean.
This new flight which landed with over 100 passengers will provide Guyanese with non-stop service to Panama’s hub of the Americas and connectivity to more than 66 other destinations flown by Copa Airlines and 1,316 airports in 192 countries.
The flight will also expand connectivity for Guyanese throughout Central, South and North America and the Caribbean, and provide citizens of both countries with the opportunity to take advantage of each other’s tourism activities and exchange cultures.
Minister of Public Works, Robeson Benn who welcomed the airline, spoke of the excellent service he experienced with COPA, and said he was amazed with the service and ambience that were offered by this large undertaking.
“The fact that COPA had developed that significant hub for this part of the world with respect to air transport, and the fact that they did it, we too can also do it if we stay the course, if we have the energy and willingness to overcome obstacles,” Minister Benn noted during a simple welcoming ceremony at the CJIA lounge.
Minister Benn underscored that with the arrival of the aircraft, Guyana is poised with the right partner to facilitate and further advance integration in Latin and South America, having new visitors and boosting air transport.
The advent of the airline also paves the way for entrepreneurs, manufacturers, tourists and service providers.
Minister Benn added that this partnership signals opportunities for the two countries to integrate for the development of the countries, and others in the Americas.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO), CJIA, Ramesh Ghir also welcomed the airline and said that he anticipates that it will be in Guyana on a long-term basis.
Regional Sales Manager, COPA, Diego Bermudez, said that this fresh partnership will definitely establish a new relationship with the two countries, expanding opportunities and sharing cultures.
Bermudez promised that the airline will offer Guyanese world class service. “We are happy to be at the start of a new and promising partnership, and we want to assure that we are going to be here for the long haul,” he said.
COPA Airlines and COPA Airlines Colombia are subsidiaries of COPA Holdings which is a leading Latin American provider of passengers and cargo services.
COPA Airline moved over 11 million passengers in 2013, with 360 daily scheduled flights to 30 countries.
KINGSTON - The incident involving the Trans Guyana Airways BN2A-27 Islander with registration 8R-GHM Serial No. 216, which took place on May 16 at the Kurupung airstrip in Region Seven cannot be attributed to lack of maintenance of the airstrip, but instead to the training and experience of the airman.
This was highlighted, through a written response provided in the National Assembly, by Minister of Public Works Robeson Benn to A Partnership for Unity’s (APNU) Member of Parliament Dr. Karen Cummings.
Cummings had questioned if maintenance and at what cost was carried out on the airstrip in 2013, and if a maintenance team examined the airstrip periodically and the mechanism that will be put in place to prevent another incident such as the “hard landing” that took place.
In his response, Minister Benn explained that $640,000 was spent to maintain the 1,365 feet long and 43 feet wide Kurupung airstrip in 2013.
He said that since the airstrip is bordered on the eastern end by a deep valley and a swamp with a creek on the western end, there is very little scope to facilitate its lengthening and as such maintenance was carried out all year round.
It was noted that like all other government airstrips, Kurupung’s benefitted from a resident contractor, who has responsibility for its maintenance, all year round and that all the government’s airstrips are examined periodically, jointly by the aviation inspectors in the Ministry of Public Works and the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCCA).
In addition, answering Cummings’ query about what mechanism will be put in place to prevent another event of “hard landing” at the airstrip, the Minister noted that focus must be on training and experience by the relevant companies, and as such suggested that the incident called to fault, more the experience of the pilot and not the maintenance of the airstrip.
The Minister said too that focused training by the relevant companies should consist of airman proficiency checks every six months and route and aerodrome checks once every 12 months in accordance with the GCCA requirements.
Minister Benn also corrected Cummings’ use of the term “hard landing”. He noted instead it was a “short landing” by the pilot of the aircraft and that the contributory factors were wind shear and down draught.
The incident which involved the Trans Guyana Airways BN2A-27 Islander, involved one crew and four passengers, but no one suffered any injuries.
The aircraft which was seriously damaged, landed before the threshold, the left landing gear moved rearward 39 inches tearing the nacelle. There were also wrinkles to both the surfaces of the wing and flaps. (INews)
KINGSTON - Investigators from the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) are in Monkey Mountain, Region 8 (Potaro/Siparuni) to determine what caused a Britten Norman Islander aircraft to run of the Monkey Mountain airstrip.
The incident occurred around 9:50 am on July 7, 2014.
The pilot Orlando Charles and another passenger were reportedly not injured. However, the twin engine aircraft, registration 8RGGY, was damaged but to what extent will be known upon arrival of the investigators.
The aircraft left Ogle International Airport earlier in the day and made stops at Omai and Mahadia before heading to Monkey Mountain when the incident occurred.
The aircraft is owned by Domestic Airways.
KINGSTON - The Ministry of Public Works (MPW) has recently acquired a set of COUNTcam 40 camera systems from a Minnesota based company as part of its efforts to modernize its traffic data collection capabilities.
They are portable traffic video recording devices used to facilitate rapid, cost-effective traffic counting for highway designs, intersection optimization and traffic monitoring.
According to Patrick Thompson, the Ministry’s Chief Transport Planning Officer the traditional method of traffic counting requires at least six persons in the field for a minimum of 17 hours to carry out a 16 hour intersection count. However, with the COUNTcam 40 camera system, only one or two persons would be required for approximately 20 minutes to mount and dismount the system.
Intersection counts, he explained, are usually collected during peak periods typically during the morning, midday and evening for a few hours at a time. The traffic data collected by an intersection count is used for timing traffic signals, designing channelisation, planning turn prohibitions, computing junctioncapacity, analysing high crash intersections, and evaluating congestion.
“The MPW also uses traffic data for the design and improvement of existing road segments, to study future traffic trends and assist in predicting traffic flows in the future and for project design and assessment of economic benefits arising from road improvements,” the Chief Transport Planning Officer stated.
One of the devices is about the size of an individual’s index finger and can be easily mounted on a street sign or a utility post. The mobile video recording system captures up to 40 hours of video on a single charge. Once the recording is completed, thevideo is uploaded to a computer via PC-TAS - the industry’s leading video viewing/counting software. Data is then exported to MS Excel or JAMAR’s Petra Pro where graphs, charts and tables are created and analysed.
“Essentially the new technology allows us to count more intersections in less time and have less of our human resource exposed to the elements for extended periods,” Mr. Thompson explained.
A four day training was recently conducted on the hardware and software modules including field exercises and was facilitated by Lacey Williams, Transportation Consultant and Managing Director of CARITRANS Company Ltd who has been utilizing the technology in Trinidad for a few years now. Eight persons from MPW, the Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation (DHB) and two Civil Engineering students from the University of Guyana benefitted from the training.
KINGSTON - The members of a technical team have been identified and are expected to review some 23 expressions of interest in the construction of a new Demerara River crossing.
Minister of Public Works, Transport and Hydraulics, Robeson Benn said that the team will begin their review once final arrangements regarding their efforts are concluded.
He said, “We had gone out for expressions of interest. We have those from about 23 and there is a technical review committee that will look at these and shortlist those we would want to participate in a public/private, or whatever model we decide, with respect to costing and design and so on.”
Government had previously indicated that it would invite expressions of interest for a public-private partnership for the construction of the new bridge.
Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB) General Manager, Rawlston Adams, in February this year, had explained that the feasibility study for the new bridge has already been completed, with Versailles on the West Bank, and Houston on the East Bank being determined as having the best advantage in terms of location. Also, Good Hope on the East Bank and Patentia on the West Bank were cited as possible locations.
Minister Benn, at that time, reported that any such arrangements will be handled by the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) and not his ministry, since that is the agency which attends to such matters.
He further explained that the reason such an arrangement is being sought is because the Government does not have the kind of money it will take to finance the venture.
Benn also reported that a freshwater environment is the perfect habitat in which to relocate the current Demerara Harbour Bridge, when its replacement comes into operation, with the Kurupukari Crossing on the Upper Essequibo River being listed as the likely candidate.
The new bridge will be made of reinforced concrete, have four lanes (some 20 metres wide) for vehicular traffic; a walkway for pedestrians; a cycle lane; navigational clearance (100m wide); navigational aids; and an estimated length of 2,250 meters.
The current use of the Demerara Bridge is estimated at 17,000 vehicles a day, a massive volume of traffic utilising the decades-old bridge. (Guyana Chronicle)
KINGSTON - The Ministry of Public Works is extremely disappointed with the biased nature of an article published in Stabroek News Business Section Friday publication captioned “Timehri Farmers losing valuable crops as airport expansion moves apace”.
The article is centered around Patrick Gray - a farmer squatting on Government lands for over a decade – and his fear of losing his livelihood as the airport expansion moves ahead. The article leaves readers with the perception that there is no regard for the farmers’ plight.
To this end, the Ministry seeks to shed some light on the prejudiced missive.
First and foremost, the Ministry and Airport Authority have held meetings and engaged in one-on-one conversations with squatters since 2008 on the airport expansion and relocation options.
Furthermore, the Ministry encouraged each of the farmers to apply to Lands and Surveys for suitable alternative farming lands; however, most of them have failed to take up this offer.
In Mr. Gray’s case, he has been approached on no less than ten (10) times, several of which with officers from the Guyana Police Force, to desist farming on airport vested lands. Mr. Gray was advised that suitable land would be provided for him to relocate where he may continue to cultivate his cash crops since his farm is in the project’s immediate construction path. However, in all instances, Mr. Gray has blatantly refused to even engage the Ministry and Airport Authority in any discussion.
The airport expansion is crucial to Guyana’s development. In this light, the Ministry and Airport Authority are committed to assist squatters, including Mr. Gray, to relocate to suitable farming areas so as to ensure their source of income/livelihood is sustained; despite claims by some of being bullied and disenfranchised.
He was at the time speaking at a stakeholders’ consultation on the new East Bank Berbice Main Access Road on Wednesday. The meeting was held at the Edinburgh Primary School.
The money will come from Central Government, and will be used to maintain the road between July and October of this year when it is expected that the bigger project would come on stream. The interim contract has not yet been awarded and will not be until after a public tender is held.
Clark said that the money is intended for the maintenance of the road up to the time that the larger project would commence. However, he could not say what sections of the road would be repaired with the $60 million.
The last maintenance contract, which totalled in excess of $35 million, was for work to be done repeatedly at the Glasgow-Everton area. “Because at that time, that was the critical area; there was a lot of depressions there. We sat down with some of the residents, because it was a small budget and we wanted to know where we could have spent that money and have some impact and that was chosen, so more than likely it would be a similar [situation] where we consult with the residents and let them decide.”
Disqualification
During the consultation which was attended by hundreds, stakeholders gave their views on some of the issues that should be taken into consideration before designing a new East Bank Berbice Road.
After the announcement was made, stakeholders including East Bank Berbice residents, vehicle operators, the East Bank Berbice Hire Car Association and persons who have businesses along the East Bank of Berbice expressed concern over the possibility of the interim contract being awarded to H Nauth & Sons Civil Engineering Contractors.
They asked for the company to be disqualified as a bidder. H Nauth & Sons Civil Engineering Contractors had been awarded a contract to maintain the road as measures had been put in place to make the road useable, as efforts had been made to construct a new East Bank Berbice Road.
The construction company had issued a statement to the Public Works Ministry earlier this year that it was a waste of money to continue repairing and trying to maintain the road, because it was beyond repair and accepting another such contract would not do well for the image of the company. (Guyana Times)
KINGSTON - Minister Robeson Benn divulged that there has been some deliberations and continues to be deliberations with respect to fish and fish products passing through the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).
Hon. Benn indicated that there has been no clear directive or deliberations to prohibit any item from passing through the airport except for those which already exist.
With respect to fish and fish products, the minister said that while there is no final word on the arrangement, the initial decision being mooted is for anyone who carries fish to the airport in their luggage or in any other form must declare same to the airport officials and security.
“If you are travelling and you have fish or fish products you must declare that you have it,” Benn said.
Over the years, airport security and officials have noticed that fish is being used as the conductor for the concealing of illegal substances.
Minister Benn said that once the fish is declared, then it triggers a search in keeping with the new security measure soon to be adopted by the CJIA. All fish must be examined the minister said.
Over the last few years, there have been many innovative ways by persons to ship cocaine outside of Guyana, via the Cheddi Jagan International Airport.
Last year the CJIA commissioned a new scanner which has proven to be very effective in detecting illegal substances concealed on persons.
Earlier in the same year, the GRA commissioned another scanner which also has been proving so effective that traditional ways of exporting cocaine through the airport, which were undetectable, are being uncovered. (Guyana Chronicle)
KINGSTON - The 105 feet bridge which is under construction at Moleson Creek, Region Six is estimated to be completed by August 2014 and will facilitate an easier flow of traffic, according to Sherod Parkinson – a Ministry of Public Works’ Engineer overseeing the project.
A site visit on Monday, June 23, 2014 allowed Ministry officials to see the progress of the GYD 60M concrete developmental project.
According to Parkinson, the contractor B & J Civil Works has completed casting the supporting beamsand columns, and is awaiting the importation of longitudinal beams to conclude the project.
We expect the beams to be here in another two weeks or so in Guyana. After that, the contractor just has to put the beams in place and cast the concrete deck,’ the ministry’s engineer explained.
In the meantime, vehicles and motorists can access the area via a bypass.
The bridge is approximately two miles from the Moleson Creek Stelling - a heavily trafficked area where a ferry plies the Guyana/Surinam route.
Parkinson further disclosed that rehabilitation of the other bridge in Moleson Creek will commence in 2015.
Over the past 12 months, the Ministry through its bridges’ programme has built several major bridges including one at Ogle, Eastern Highway (Sophia) and Hampton Court.
KINGSTON - A team of Officers from the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD), and Regional Chairman, Region 5, Mr. Bindrabhan Bisnauth, visited the Mahaicony Creek area on Wednesday June 18, 2014.
They were there to sensitize boat operators on the importance of having their vessels inspected and certified, and for the operators themselves to be examined and certified.
This visit was initiated by the Honourable Robeson Benn, Minister of Public Work after he would have received reports about allegedly poor condition of boats and also poor operational practices in the area. The people in riparian communities such as the Mahaicony Creek depend upon marine transportation. However, most of the boats operators are unlicensed.
Meanwhile as part of the effort of promoting safety on our waterways, a total of seventy-four (74) children life jackets were distributed to schools in the Mahaicony Creek area. They are Gordon Table Nursery and Primary School, Karamat Primary School and Moora Point Nursery School.
At the Gordon Table Nursery and Primary School, Teacher, Ms. Laurain McLennon expressed her gratitude to MARAD for the donation of twenty-five (25) children life jackets and assured the team that she would ensure the children of her school wear their jackets whenever travelling on a boat.
Head-teacher of the Karamat Primary School, Mr. Lalto Paul was very grateful for the thirty-three (33) life jackets for the children in light of concerns he expressed about unsafe practices by boat operators in the area. He also spoke about the timeliness of the donation and thanked the Department for the initiative.
Similar sentiments were also expressed by the Head-teacher of the Moora Point Nursery School, Ms Bindoo Inshan as she received sixteen (16) children life jackets for the students of her school.
The Regional Chairman in brief remarks to the boat operators, encouraged them to equip their boats with lifejackets, and then to ensure that their passengers wear them at all times while traversing the waterways. He repeated one of MARAD’s themes that “lifejackets saves lives”. Then in closing, he thanked the team from MARAD for the donation of the children life jackets.
The Maritime Administration Department will continue its safety campaign to other Regions of Guyana in keeping with its mandate of promoting maritime safety in Guyana.
