The Canadian High Commission is continuing to assist Canadians who wish to return home from Guyana with flights out of the country amidst the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak.
A total of 23 Canadians began their journey back home yesterday morning through a collaboration between the Canadian High Commission, TransGuyana Airways and Eastern Airways.
Flights, which left Guyana via the Eugene F. Correia International Airport during the morning hours, were expected to fly the passengers to Barbados, where they were to then board another plane to take them to Toronto.
Canadian High Commissioner Lilian Chatterjee told Sunday Stabroek that the High Commission has been reaching out to Canadians across the country for some weeks since the first confirmed COVID-19 case in Guy-ana. She said that the commission is working extremely hard to provide the best opportunities for persons wishing to return to their home in Canada.
“In times of crisis, the level of registration increases… based on that, we identified and then contacted all of the Canadians they have listed in the Country,” Ray Fankhauser, a representative of the Canadian High Com-mission, told Sunday Stabroek.
He explained that after making contact with the Canadians, they gathered information about the situation each person was in and what assistance they would need. He said that while there are many issues at the moment, they have been trying to assist as much as they can and where fears are concerned, they have worked with the passengers to make arrangements that are best suited to them. As a result, he said that some persons decided that they wanted to stay in the country while others had already purchased tickets with other airlines, which are no longer useful. The Canadian High Commission after speaking with these persons, made arrangements for alternative flights.
Chatterjee said that some persons wanted a direct flight to Canada, and that the Commission was doing its best to make arrangements for such a flight but was unsuccessful and had therefore settled for the two chartered flights. “We have been unable to [get a straight flight], so these two chartered flights get them to Barbados, and then they are directly connected with an Air Canada flight to Toronto,’’ she explained.
Concerns
Given the global outbreak of the Coronavirus, many persons have been avoiding airports and boarding planes. Some airports around the world have also been shut down, the Cheddi Jagan International Airport included, to ensure possible spread of the virus is reduced. This concern was raised with the Canadian High Commissioner yesterday and, she responded by saying that is the reason they arranged the direct flight from Barbados to Canada. She said that many persons wanted a direct flight but because it was not possible, the next best option was decided on, hence the direct flight from Barbados to Canada. She also said that they also have passengers who have traveled by using Eastern Airlines via the US and then to Canada.
In a COVID19 update, Air Canada has reassured Canadians that they would continue to provide special flights which would safely return them to Canada. Over the course of the last month, the airline has transported thousands of Canadians from all parts of the world back to Canada.
Additionally, Chatterjee said that the opportunities they are providing for Canadians who wish to leave the country are open to them and further noted that persons who are not registered with them can contact them on the telephone number 608-7012. A staff member of the High Commission will be available and open to have discussions about the situation the caller is in and respond to those needs.
