By Jomo Paul
[www.inewsguyana.com] – A major fallout is looming at the Ogle International Airport over a recent suggestion to rename the airport and what operators have described as failing infrastructures.
Several Operators at the Ogle Airport, including Air Services Limited and Roraima Airways, have teamed up with the hopes of amending some of the issues plaguing the port of entry and to holistically develop Guyana’s aviation sector.
Inclusive of professionals from across the aviation spectrum, the National Air Transport Association (NATA) was on Wednesday announced, boasting an impressive membership.
President of the Association, Annette Arjoon told a media conference that despite tremendous contributions to Guyana’s growth over the years, the aviation sector has not seen the development and representation that it needs to propel forward.
However, notably absent from the Association is a representative of the Correia Group of Companies – one of the founding airlines at the Ogle Airport.
Vice President, Gerry Gouveia explained that this was due to the fact that the group was “refused” a meeting with Michael Correria regarding the issues affecting operators at the Airport.
“When the problems started at Ogle, the four of us called on Michael Correia and try to resolve this issue and talk to him about the way forward…he refused to meet with the Body and this is how this is going forward without him,” said Gouveia.
This comes on the heels of stakeholders rejecting an idea presented by President David Granger to rename the Airport to Correria International Airport.
Asked whether there was a correlation, Gouveia posited that the President made a suggestion, which was declined given the disadvantages it would present to other operators.
He suggested that the President might not have taken into consideration those disadvantages when the idea was proposed.
According to Gouveia, at present a situation exists whereby a competitor [Correira] is regulating the other competitors, hence renaming the Airport in such a manner would only compound the situation.
“Every single operator around this tabled have written a letter against the renaming of the airport,” he said noting that NATA is “unanimously” against the idea of renaming the airport.
However, NATA’s concerns do not end there as they are also protesting a recent document that was presented at a meeting for operators to sign onto.
Gouveia told the news conference that the document present regulations and policies that are “draconian” and the operators will not sign it.
Often all it takes is just a few spoken words to spill an overflow of venom and clearly identify the persons bitterness.
Keep the name Ogle Airport but please rename CJIA back to Timerhi….