Kiosk to be built at CJIA to support small businesses
Guyanese small business owners will soon have the opportunity to display their goods and services to both locals and tourists at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Timehri where a modern kiosk will be constructed.
This is part of the PPP/C Administration’s manifesto commitment geared at providing a friendly environment for businesses to grow, in addition to implementing favourable fiscal and monetary policies.
The initiative is the brainchild of His Excellency, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, and will be branded ‘Guyana Shop’.
The announcement was made by Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Oneidge Walrond, MP, at a ministerial outreach held in Buxton, East Coast Demerara on Monday.
“At the airport, when it is completed, we will have a place for Guyanese- owned businesses, like how we did the expo at the oil and gas. We are going to have a similar arrangement. All Guyanese products will have a place to be there to be displayed at the airport permanently, selling all of your stuff; craft, wine everything,” she said.
Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill, M.P, stated that one of the reasons the CJIA is being expanded is to facilitate more concession areas.
“There is not enough space currently for concession areas and that is the problem, so, we are expanding the super structure which is the agreement we had with China Harbour so we will be able to put in more concessions.”
Works on the kiosk are being undertaken by China Harbour Engineering Corporation (CHEC). The structure will accommodate about 20 concession areas, and is still at the design stage.
Meanwhile, the CJIA is undergoing major infrastructural development, which will see the construction of an office building. The building will be joined to the existing terminal building and will house a conference room, offices for the airlines and other supporting agencies, and a duty-free bond. It will also see the rehabilitation of the international apron and the building of a taxiway. The modernisation of the airport will have also two additional boarding bridges to accommodate large transatlantic aircraft, and a new commercial complex to house additional duty-free shops, restaurants and lounges.