Gov’t pushing for improved aviation safety standards – draft Act sent to opposition   

Georgetown, GINA, May 13, 2016

Operators in the local aviation sector are set to offer improved safety standards as the Government moves to implement an Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation Act.

Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, told the Government Information Agency (GINA) that a draft of the Act is currently with stakeholders for their input  and  recommendations. Minister Patterson said that all recommendations will be incorporated, and the draft will then be taken to the Cabinet-Sub-committee for Parliamentary Affairs.

A draft of the Act was also sent to the opposition party’s shadow Minister of Public Infrastructure, Juan Edghill for input, feedback and recommendations to ensure its approval and smooth passage in Parliament.

 

 

 

According to Minister Patterson, Guyana is currently signed onto the effective implementation of the standards and recommended practices established by the ICAO for the safe and orderly development of the civil aviation sector, and the Act is government’s  effort to improve Guyana’s rate of compliance with ICAO.

The ICAO recommendations state that air accidents must be a standalone unit and the Ministry of Public Infrastructure is seeking to move the country forward.  The minister explained that at the end of the year, “we will have a structured unit for persons to learn from each other, and we can investigate and record air accidents independently, which will allow the ICAO to give us a higher grade in compliance.”

The regional average compliance of the ICAO is above 70 percent while Guyana’s currently stands at 44 percent. Government’s goal is to move Guyana to 60 percent compliance shortly, Minister Patterson said.

In October 2015, the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and the aviation community attended the aviation conference  at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, to share information and knowledge on advancing aviation through safety, technology and synergies.

The objectives of the conference was to provide information and knowledge to the industry regarding advancing aviation through safety and technology, while creating synergies with other sectors for national development, to share experiences and to identify challenges faced by the sector.

Challenges were identified at the conference to be addressed by the Ministry of Public Infrastructure for the  aviation sector to continue developing, and provide sustainability  for economic, social and cultural benefits.

The Government is committed to the improvement of the civil aviation sector and “promises that with greater involvement, it can hopefully aid in the standardisation of operational procedures to ensure equal opportunities are available to all involved, while negating anti-competitiveness in the industry,” Patterson said.