CJIA will expand in keeping with the growing economy

The Cheddi Jagan International Airport will continue to expand in keeping with Guyana’s growing economy.

This is, in addition, to the expansion works being undertaken at the country’s primary airport.

Public Works Minister, Bishop Juan Edghill made the disclosure on Wednesday during a press conference.

He said that “in any airport around the world, you will always see construction and development and very soon when we are finished with what we are doing there which should be in 18 months max I think we should be able to get most of that through, we might have to start talking about terminal B and we are discussing terminal B.”

Only recently, Minister had said the extension works to the CJIA by China Harbour and Engineering Corporation (CHEC) were “substantially completed,” pointing out that “we are only in any defects liability or retention period.”

The works completed include the construction of a superstructure, building a curtain wall, and extending the boarding corridor to accommodate two more air bridges that can facilitate Code D and E aircraft.

“Construction at the airport will continue because you have to keep making more accommodation. I think sooner or later, with our oil and gas sector growing and tourism growing bringing in high profile tourists, we will have to have facilities to cooperate jets, people who are coming here with their own private planes, we have to be able to keep expanding,” Minister Edghill stated.

The minister also noted that as the country’s economy expands, it will become a place of transit for passengers going into South America and the Caribbean.

With that, he said, preparations are already in place to facilitate the influx of passengers.

“We have just opened bids for a new admin building that will be across the road from the airport. What we are seeking to do is move all the administrative offices from the airport into a new building so those spaces could be used for other commercial activities,” he said.

Minister Edghill said there will also be upgraded facilities for in-transit passengers.

“During the in-transit period to get connecting flight they must be able to get a good restaurant, a nice hot meal, they must be able to get facilities, their children must get a play area. So, we are putting in all those other amenities,” the Minister stated.

Since taking office, the PPP/C administration has invested heavily in the upgrade of the CJIA.

This includes the extension of the runway of the CJIA to accommodate larger aircraft and the installation of an Instrument Landing System to assist pilots when landing in unfavourable weather conditions.