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[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/4″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][lvca_heading heading=”Message from the Director General of Civil Aviation”][vc_single_image image=”4203″ img_size=”large”][vc_column_text]Today the Member States of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) celebrates ICAO Day under the theme “Working Together to Ensure No Country Is Left Behind”.
The civil aviation landscape is constantly evolving. Aviation has changed beyond the imagination of its pioneers. Its exponential growth has been nothing short of amazing. Presently 4.1 billion passengers fly annually by air safely to vast and far reaches of the world, and this is expected to double by the year 2027. Fifty-six million freight tons of goods are shipped annually on aircraft. Aviation supports economies big and small by the trillions of dollars, and the aviation industry provides jobs to millions. As a regulatory body, the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) remains an advocate for the development of air transport, and a facilitator for airlines, airports and other service providers to respond to market changes and opportunities. To ensure that the changes are managed and regulated in a structured manner, a new Civil Aviation Bill was tabled and read for the third time in the National Assembly.
The recent ICAO Air Transport Meeting held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre from November 21-23, saw among other things, the signing of an Air Services Agreement with Ghana, a Memorandum of Understanding with Aruba, and the formulation of the Georgetown Declaration on sustainable air transport development. The signing of these air services agreements will continue to encourage similar collaboration with other countries. This will further expand Guyana’s reach to include carriers from Africa, South and Latin American countries.
Following the conclusion of the ICAO Air Transport Meeting, our Honourable Minister Annette Ferguson, who oversees the work of the GCAA, was elected Vice Chairperson of the Second High-level Conference on Aviation Security (HLCAS/2) on November 29, 2018, and chaired same on November 30, 2018 at the ICAO Headquarters in Montreal, Canada. These accomplishments are testimony to the high esteem in which Guyana is held by the ICAO and the other Member States.
Guyana recently joined the pilot phase of the ICAO Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA). This is aimed at reducing the CO2 emissions from aviation related activities.
All of these major steps forward could not have happened without strong support from the Government of Guyana and the ICAO. Guyana will continue to work with the ICAO to reach the global aviation standards and recommended practices.
To all the stakeholders in the industry, your daily commitment to each and every person in the aviation sector, have resulted in tangible benefits experienced by the flying public, you all have done a great job and continue to do so on a daily basis. High commendation to all the personnel and industry stakeholders who work with the GCAA and the Government of Guyana to make the sector a safe and secure one. Truly Guyana is moving in the right direction, and by working together, we will ensure that Guyana is not left behind.
A very happy ICAO Day to all.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][/vc_column][/vc_row]