Threat level lowered at CJIA airport

The Ministry of Public Works and the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) lowered the threat level from high to moderate on February 15, 2014, the Ministry of Public Works said today.

The lowering, the release said, is an indication that officials no longer think that a disruption is imminent.

The threat level was elevated after a telephone call from Barbados threatening a CAL flight scheduled to leave Guyana on Monday, February 10, 2014.

The call triggered a full scale security alert to ensure the safety of passengers, airport employees and aircraft.

The release said that the Minister responsible for Transport, Robeson Benn, summoned an emergency meeting with key stakeholders and high level security officials on Saturday, February 8, 2014 to evaluate the threat and put in place the necessary security measures to neutralise same.

The release said that CAL has since advised there was minimal disruption to their flight operations which are back to normal at the moment.

The release also said that law enforcement officers are “vigorously following up on leads from their Barbadian counterparts to pinpoint the origin of the call.”

Benn said in the release that despite the lowered threat level, stringent security measures at CJIA will remain in place.

The Ministry and CJIA thanked all the security agencies and stakeholders for support in maintaining a safe environment and the passengers for their cooperation.