BROOKLYN, NY– The government has budgeted GUY$2.5 billion (US$12 million) to upgrade further and modernize the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).
Senior Minister in the Office of the President, Dr. Ashni Singh, with responsibility for Finance, said the seeks to procure two additional passenger boarding bridges to accommodate transatlantic aircraft, increasing the total number of boarding bridges to six.
Additionally, the investment will rehabilitate the airline and airport administration offices and outfit the commercial complex.
A GUY$150 million (US$ 718,492) allocation was made for the construction of a new administration block at Timehri, and GUY$187 million (US$ 895,720) will be directed to the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority for the upgrade of the Timehri Control Tower and the procurement of a Safety Data Collection and Processing System, in addition to much-needed hardware and software upgrades.
Hinterland airstrips will also get attention under Budget 2021 with a GUY$415 million (US$2 million) investment to upgrade and rehabilitate the public infrastructure.
In December 2020, the Government brokered an agreement with China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) to undertake GUY$1.8 billion (US$8.6 million) in works at the airport at no additional cost to taxpayers.
The additional work entails an extension of the airport’s boarding corridor to accommodate two more passenger boarding bridges, providing the airport with six boarding bridges capable of servicing aircraft such as the Boeing 777, Dreamliner the Airbus, and similar trans-Atlantic aircraft.
The terminal building is being extended to provide accommodation for additional commercial space, such as food courts and duty-free shops. The extended facility will feature a modern airport façade covering the full length of the departure terminal.
CHEC has further agreed to rectify and complete all outstanding remedial works within prescribed timelines.
Earlier this year, Minister of Public Works Bishop Juan Edghill met the contractor and urged the company’s representatives to adhere to the timelines to complete the outstanding works.
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