Increased remuneration for police ranks assigned to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Timehri is to be examined as a means of curbing the security failings there as the facility recovers from over $15 million in theft in 2008.
Ramesh Ghir
There are still not enough police officers at the airport and it is hoped that offering better salaries for those being placed there will encourage more of them to take up the challenge, Chief Executive Officer Ramesh Ghir told the media on Wednesday at a year-end press conference held at Transport Minister Robeson Benn’s office.
Reporting on the airport over the year, Ghir said there had been a 9% decline in international passenger arrivals and a 4% reduction in international landings.
Acknowledging the challenges that the airport faced over the year, Ghir made particular mention of the runway lights fiasco and the heavy lightning which caused severe damage to many pieces of equipment including those inside the airport’s control tower.
The runway lights were down for a period during which there was reliance on a back-up system. The non-functional lights had even interrupted flights for a short period and the government was forced to accept an offer from the Grantley Adams International Airport in Barbados which loaned 150 lights to Guyana to assist with landings during the country’s hosting of Carifesta.
Some runway lights were also stolen and no one has ever been charged even though some items also belonging to the airport were found at the home of a Timehri man.
Meanwhile, Ghir said the damaged equipment had been repaired, but noted that the airport’s management was still evaluating several proposals in the area of lightning protection.
To this end too, he restated that the squatting which is taking place around the airport has also contributed to the security challenge. Efforts made to remove the squatters from around the airport are ongoing.
Ghir told reporters that come next year a local commercial bank will establish an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) facility at the airport. Additionally, he said, by the first quarter a fast food concession would be established.
The airport CEO was questioned on the issue of security in light of a recent incident in which the head of IAST Suresh Naraine was able to board a Caribbean Airlines flight with ammunition in his possession.
The 12 rounds of ammunition and gun magazine were detected at the Piarco International Airport in Trinidad, Police Commis-sioner Henry Greene had said.
Greene had said that he received a telephone call from Trinidad informing him of the find and questions were being asked as to how Naraine, a licensed firearm holder, was allowed to leave Guyana with the items. An investigation was conducted and the matter has since been forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions for advice. However, Greene said it did not seem as if any charges would be laid since the incident was a “genuine mistake” on the part of Naraine, who had in fact lodged his firearm at the Timehri airport but apparently forgot about the ammunition and magazine.
This lapse by security personnel at the airport gave weight to the words of Head of the Presidential Secretariat Dr Roger Luncheon, who had told the media weeks before this incident, of government’s plans to review access to the VIP executive lounges at the airport since, among other things, there might have been breaches that could have contributed to the trafficking of narcotics.
He had said that a report received by cabinet had suggested that there may have been some exploitation of the failure to adequately coordinate “and things are falling through the cracks.”
It is in this regard that Ghir was questioned about the status of security at the checkpoints at the airport given the amounts of cocaine that have by-passed those checkpoints and were intercepted in other countries. He emphasized that the corporation was responsible for the prevention of incendiary devices getting on board aircraft, but the issue of drugs was the responsibility of the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) and the police.
He argued that the airport was adequately equipped but said he could not speak for security personnel. He reminded the media too that the surveillance cameras at the airport were the property of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the airlines also had their own cameras.
With specific reference to the VIP lounge, he said there was an established procedure for its use which was nothing to do with the airport’s management. He said the lounge fell under the purview of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs which has its own established protocols.
How qualified is Ghir for this sensitive post?
Juan, That’s a very good question and the problem with most of these top positions. Too much on the job training, it is a waste of tax payers money.
He does not have the experience nor the qualifications to run an airport, his previous job was at the georgetown hospital. All personnel working at the airport should be paid higer salaries not only police officers. I am trying to check which other airport in the world (except socialist dictatorships) that a VIP lounge at the airport is run by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the said country and cannot come up with any.
More qualified than Minister Benn and others…
I challenge him and any other responsible for this appointment to disclose his qualifications.
wan…Ghir is as qualified as Burnham so stop yuh trash…
HE’S VERY QUALIFIED. HE SAT THROUGH ALL THE AIRPORT LIGHTS FIASCO AND ALSO COPPER WIRE THEFT AND HE STILL HAVE A VOTE OF CONFIDENCE BY THE GOVT.
How many of you were in positions you aren’t for?
Your qualifications were GYSM,KSI,GNS,GPM.
Soldier, whose fault it is to appoint Minister Benn? It is great to be neutral, because you can see all the flaws. The only Minister qualified for his position is Dr. Ramsammy.
I happen to frequent the airport and must state that it has improved tremendously over the years in terms of its esthetics. The major problem it faces has to do with security which is currently the responsibility of the Guyana Police Force – maybe the additional pay will help to attract more qualified security personnel.
Cops at Timehri airport may be offered more pay -Ghir
Ghir no matter how much you pay these people they will continue to turn a blind eye to their cohorts passing through the airport….
You better hire more police to police those that are working there now.
You dont have to be a rocket scientist to see who is being pulled over for security checks and who are not…lady will slippers on made to take it off and pass it through scanner…lady and man with thick clogs on was told to “go”…
Ghir-these security people at the airport are just performing for the camera that is watching them..even if the man and lady were made to take off their clogs for a scan,the person would have turned a blind eye if there were any sweet stuff in their clogs…that is what going on at the airport Ghir…
Does Mr. Ghir need to be reminded that he is in charge of the airport and not a section of the airport? Mr. Ghir, the security failings at the airport has noting to do with the stationing of more cops but all to do with the failure of management…and that’s you! Are the people of GY to believe that your sole responsibility as CEO of the airport is the prevention of incendiary devices getting on board aircraft AND nothing else? Are you saying that the following tenant units do not fall under your jurisdiction as the CEO of the airport: CANU and the police; the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs?
Com on Gabriel dont question the man’s qualifications. he is a loyal servant and thats what is important for his bosses…..hahahahahaha.
Jaun, I am an operator at the airport and must say that as head of the airport Mr Ghir has been doing an excellent job. His drive for better customer service and improvement in passenger facilitation has been mainly responsibly for the new look airport we have today – I am first to agree that there is still much to be done. If strongly believe that if the security was under the control of the Airport Authority I am sure that we may have seen different results in their performance. The reports of the airport also reflects that the financial performance of the organisation has significantly improved over the past few years.
did i read correctly? customer service at the airport, you guys don’t have a clue about customer service.
I’ve passed through more than 20 airports and must say that cheddi jagan is one of the worst one when it comes to customer service.
It always amazes me to see how lazy and not to mention the rudeness of the employees there.
You would say da,looks like you don’t have to deal with MSK any more
The amount of slackness that took place in 2008 at our only
International Airport under Mr Ramash Ghir Administration, it was
sufficient to give him a Pink-Slip, reardless of how under or
over qualified he maybe.
Wait, this man still in this job, banna, what sercet you got? I know what Merai got.
And even if you give them a raise of pay, there would still be bribes taken to look the other way, only until there’s a complete overhaul of the system would we get some results, until then it’s only window dressing.
…. it makes no diff how u slice it ,, the curruption that is a legacy now ingrained in every sphere of life from all strata will not and can not be wished away ,, what is needed is a re-calibration of the nat’l plan for development ,, of course this will have to begin with the re-orientation of minds at all levels of society ! and yes that includes ALL in GY ! and some outside ,,,,, if names is necessary leh meh kno” an ah wud b onle too happy fuh compli !
De moderator na want names.He deleted my comment when I call names.