The management of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) is currently engaging the supplier of a recently commissioned security scanner to conduct remedial work as the machine has encountered issues, Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill yesterday said.
Speaking with Stabroek News via telephone, Edghill assured that although the machine has developed some issues, alternative security arrangements have been put in place to ensure nothing is compromised.
The minister said with the CJIA already in contact with the supplier to rectify the defects, it should be remedied soon.
He noted that the machine is an important asset to the airport’s security as it not only scans for drugs but also explosives. Nonetheless, he said that with the alternative measures in place, passengers can be assured that their safety is not compromised.
The CTX 5800 Checked Luggage Scanner ,which was procured at a cost of $290 million, was commissioned in May of this year along with three other scanners, to strengthen the airport’s security.
The airport in a brief statement last night said corrective measures were underway to address issues with the CTX Scanning machine.
On September 11, CJIA said, the Smiths-Detection CTX 5800 displayed a system error and had become inoperable.
The airport administrators subsequently established contact with the supplier and manufacturer for technical support and a decision was taken to have a Smith’s Detection engineer fly into Guyana to conduct diagnostic tests, the statement explained.
“Currently, corrective works are underway and are expected to be completed, shortly. In the meantime, passengers’ bags are screened via the redundant security scanners at the airport.”
Upon the commissioning of the machines, Edghill was quoted as saying, “We are removing equipment that [is] almost 60 years old and putting in more modern equipment.”
He explained that the new scanners will help detect threats to civil aviation quickly and aid law enforcement in its fight against narco-trafficking at the country’s main port of entry. He added that the new machines have automatic detection capabilities and will allow the screener to manipulate and further examine anomalies detected in passengers’ luggage.
The minister also pointed out that there are now two new sets of screening equipment that will facilitate both Passenger In-transit and Staff Screening Points.
“In-transit passengers will no longer have to clear Arrivals Immigration and be escorted to the departures terminal to board their connecting flights. These passengers will enter directly into the Departures’ Lounge after being screened at the In-transit Check Point. This is a much-needed and welcomed service and will assist the concessionaires in promptly scanning their goods/merchandise,” he said.
In a press release, the CJIA said the CTX 5800 explosives detection system, which is TSA-certified, quickly identifies threats in checked baggage. It noted that the scanner is a computer tomography-based system, which uses a single X-ray generator to provide high-resolution 3D images for quick and accurate threat assessment, making it ideal for airports, such as CJIA, to be fully integrated into a Baggage Handling System. It also offers networking solutions to link multiple scanners for efficient image distribution and system monitoring among operators.
The new system also has the ability to automatically separate baggage from those that require secondary checks. Guyana is one of the few countries in Latin America and the Caribbean that have deployed this new technology at the airport. Edghill disclosed that with these new systems in place Guyana will serve as bridge between the world and South America.
