The BO 105 helicopter loaned from Trinidad which has been assisting the Joint Services in aerial crime fighting activities following the Lusignan and Bartica slayings, may only have a few days more here.
But Guyana will soon have two helicopters of its own as the procurement process for two Bell 206 choppers has been moving apace, Cabinet Secretary Dr. Roger Luncheon told reporters at a post-cabinet media briefing yesterday.
Asked how long the Trinidadian chopper was loaned for, Luncheon told reporters that it was to be here originally for 10 days, but he could not say definitively whether this still stands.
He said the BO 105 has been used for surveillance work both on land and at sea as government seeks to provide greater assurance to citizens.
Luncheon announced too that training of disciplined forces members to operate the helicopters has already been approved and authorized.
He said once technical work is done and confirmed the helicopters would be here and in service.
Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee had announced that the government of the twin-island republic would lend Guyana the chopper as well as specialized weapons.
Questioned yesterday as to whether the weapons had arrived, Luncheon only commented that Trinidad had not fallen back on its promises.
Trinidad Prime Minister Patrick Manning had told his countrymen that the helicopter would be loaned to Guyana for a short period.
