17 Govt caused cancellation of flights for stranded Guyanese – CAL NEWS
MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM
…failed to provide passenger list despite agreement with airline to do so
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aribbean Airlines Limited (CAL) has cleared the air on the cancellation of flights that would have repatriated stranded Guyanese back to their homeland on June 11. According to the airline, the blame for the cancellation can be laid squarely at the feet of the coalition Government and its aviation authority. In a statement on Sunday, CAL revealed that it had been in communica-
Aviation Authority (GCAA), regarding the repatriation of Guyanese stranded overseas owing to the closure of Guyana’s airspace. According to CAL, it received approval from the Government to operate in Guyana’s airspace on June 11 and was moreover told that it would receive a listing of all the Guyanese nationals with permission to return. But while the airline was ready to move forward with the flights, the
Guyana and the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority with a proposed schedule of repatriation flights and received approval to operate a service between Trinidad, Barbados and Guyana on June 11; with the Guyana authorities committing to provide a listing of pre-approved Guyanese nationals to the airline,” CAL said. “Subsequently, on June 9, the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority advised that the necessary process-
The Cheddi Jagan International Airport
tion with the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) and the Guyana Civil
Government was not. “Caribbean Airlines supplied the Government of
es were not yet completed by the Guyana authorities and they were unable to provide the listing of na-
Berbice Chamber calls for smooth conclusion to election process
BCCDA Vice President Ryan Alexander
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t has been 103 days now since Guyanese went to the polls to elect a Government, and the process of announcing a winner of the March 2 General and Regional Elections is yet to be concluded. The recount of votes cast at those elections have been completed, and now the Berbice Chamber of Commerce and Development Association (BCCDA) is calling on all
Guyanese to ensure the election process continues smoothly. “We are calling on all parties to allow the reconciliation and the smooth transition of Government,” Vice President Ryan Alexander said. He noted that the Chamber was one of the accredited observers during the recount process at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre. The Chamber had come under the umbrella of the Private Sector Commission (PSC). Alexander said the Chamber was of the view that the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has so far shown its commitment to upholding democracy. “We wish to express our heartfelt thank you to Madam Chair, the entire Guyana Elections Commission [GECOM], and the Private Sector Commission for giving us the opportunity of physical-
ly being on the ground at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre for the recount. The Chamber is happy to see that the tabulation exercise of the recount process has come to an end,” Alexander said. The elections were scrutinised by international observer missions from the Commonwealth, the Organisation of American States, the European Union, and the Carter Center. The local observer teams came from the Guyana Public Service Union; the PSC; the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) and the American Chamber of Commerce in Guyana (AmCham). The PSC had representatives from several Chambers, including the Berbice Chamber. According to Alexander, the Berbice Chamber is now hoping to see Guyana move forward with a smooth conclusion to the process.
Caretaker Foreign Affairs Minister, Dr Karen Cummings
tionals for repatriation to Caribbean Airlines, which would facilitate the advertising of the flight and booking of passengers.” Notwithstanding the setback, CAL reiterated its desire to repatriate citizens of Guyana and the wider Caribbean. In fact, the airline noted that it was currently arranging flights for citizens in other Caribbean countries. “Caribbean Airlines remains committed to supporting repatriation efforts for the citizens of Guyana and looks forward to the completion of the processes and the provision of the necessary approvals from the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority,” CAL said. “Caribbean Airlines is currently facilitating repatriation flights for nationals of Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados, Jamaica, Antigua and Bahamas through June 16 and will support further repatriation efforts of Caribbean nationals throughout the Region.” Guyana Times had reported on Saturday that two Caribbean Airlines flights which were supposed to repatriate Guyanese stranded overseas have since been cancelled and persons who were supposed to return home were left unsure of their next steps.
There was a Caribbean Airlines flight planned for June 11 for stranded Guyanese in Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados; and another flight from the USA, originating from the John F Kennedy International Airport in New York on June 13. However, both flights were cancelled. Efforts by the media to ascertain why were futile. John Ramsingh, one of the Guyanese who had returned home on the first repatriation flight from the United States, had revealed via a press release that the stranded passengers were not given any explanation for the cancellation of the flights. On behalf of the strand-
GCAA Director General, Retired Lieutenant Colonel Egbert Field
from Miami, USA. The Eastern Airlines flight landed at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) in Georgetown at approximately 16:30h with 109 citizens who were all sanitised and screened upon entering the airport.
A Caribbean Airlines flight
ed Guyanese, Ramsingh had called on the Guyana authorities to honour their commitment to allow them to return home. “Our fellow Guyanese are desperate to return home with some barely surviving. They have met the criteria to return even under difficult circumstances but are still left in the wilderness. Our decision makers need to allow our brothers and sisters to come back home,” Ramsingh had expressed. The first batch of stranded Guyanese were repatriated on June 6 on a flight
Once cleared, the passengers were then placed under home quarantine for seven days with representatives of the Public Health Ministry checking on their well-being on a daily basis through visits or telephone calls. After the incident-free repatriation, senior Government officials, including the caretaker Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence and GCAA Director General Egbert Field pledged weekly flights to have stranded citizens reunited with their families in Guyana.
Gun-toting bandits relieve painter of cash, other valuables
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2 0 - y e a r - o l d spray painter of Herstelling, East Bank Demerara (EBD), who was in the vicinity of the M&M Snackette, Peters’ Hall, EBD with two friends, was robbed of his cash and valuables by a motorcycle bandit and his gun-toting pillion rider on Saturday. The incident reportedly occurred around 20:10h when the victim, Christopher Paraz, and his two friends were walk-
ing along a street known as “Small Corner” next to the M&M Snackette. Information received revealed that the two suspects on a motorcycle bearing registration number CY 1623 intercepted the friends. The pillion rider reportedly came off the bike and whipped out a handgun, demanding that Paraz hand over his cash and other valuables. Out of fear, the victim handed over his haversack,
which contained his wallet, cash, driver’s licence, and national identification card. After committing the robbery, the bandits jumped on their motorcycle and rode off. A report was made, and Police have since launched an investigation into the matter. In fact, only Sunday last, two gunmen executed a daring robbery on the M&M Snackette at Houston, Greater Georgetown, carting off an undisclosed sum of cash.
