President Donald Ramotar speaking at the 13th graduation and induction ceremony at the Art Williams and Harry Wendt Aeronautical Engineering School at the Ogle Airport
President Donald Ramotar has said the local aviation industry continues to play a vital role in opening up the country’s interior to economic, heath and other important services geared to improving the lives of those in far-flung areas.
The president, speaking at the 13th graduation and induction ceremony of the Art Williams and Harry Wendt Aeronautical Engineering School at the Ogle airport on December 16, also recognised the relationship between the mining sector and aviation industry, as well as the latter’s contribution to the region.
“There are always complaints and frustration over the slow pace of integration in our region, but here, too, we see this school, modest as it looks, playing such an important part in bringing our Caribbean people together because this industry and this airport, when it comes into full operation, will be one of the major features in allowing for our peoples to be in contact with each other,” he stressed.
The school has also graduated students from many sister Caribbean countries such as Jamaica, Bahamas, and Trinidad and Tobago, and in so doing, has contributed to the development of the oneness of the region’s identity, a Government Information Agency (GINA) release said.
Government has recognised the importance of this vital industry and has partnered with it to foster further development. Over the past year, there has been a phenomenal increase in the movement of cargo and people to and from the Ogle Airport.
The engineers who graduated from the Art Williams and Harry Wendt Aeronautical Engineering School
Thus far this year, passenger movement is recorded at 119,909, compared with 79,482 in 2010, an increase of 50.86 per cent. The movement of cargo is recorded at 16,771,496 pounds, compared with 11,143,016 pounds last year, an increase of 50.51per cent.
“This is a reflection of the growth and importance of this industry and at the same time it is a reflection of the growing economic activities that is taking place in the interior of Guyana and without this industry, we would not be able to service the development that has taken place,” the president said.
Government has injected €1.5 million obtained from a European Union (EU) fund to extend the runway at the Ogle Airport to accommodate bigger flights from the Caribbean.
The Guyanese head of state said that eventually, the facility will become a hub not only for the Caribbean but for neighbouring states such as Brazil and Suriname.
Additionally, over Gy$ 9 million has been spent to modernise air-traffic communication facilities as well as navigation equipment, so as to maintain safe operations and support the ever-increasing demand for the movement of passengers and cargo in Guyana.
Ramotar also pointed out that the industry is pivotal to the development of the tourism sector and other new and growing industries in Guyana.
To this end, major investments are also being made to upgrade the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) at Timehri, extending the runway to facilitate bigger aircraft as well as modernising existing amenities so that tourists can enjoy what the country has to offer.
The Ogle Airport has come a far way, since its establishment in the 1950s, so too, the aeronautical school which was started by the Aircraft Owners Association.
Today, the Art Williams and Harry Wendt Aeronautical Engineering School has evolved into an international training facility. It has graduated over 200 students, 90 of whom are fully qualified licensed engineers, and are employed at some of the most reputable aviation companies in the world.
The school is ISO 9001 compliant (an international standard that sets out all the elements that should exist in a sound quality management system), an achievement, the president said, is noteworthy.
Comments are closed.