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Moves afoot for National ‘Search and Rescue Plan’

Jun 02, 2011 News

Yesterday some of the key players and stakeholders in the soon to be established Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue Plan met and held discussions about the plan.
At the forum, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds addressed the gathering which included members of the Civil Aviation Authority, the Guyana Prison Service, the Guyana Fire Service, the Guyana Police Force and the Civil Defense Commission.
Head of the Civil Defense Commission, Retired Colonel Chabilall Ramsarup, said that over the past two years the stakeholders have been working to put the plan together.
According to Col Ramsarup, agencies involved in the effort include the Ministry of Health, Civil Aviation Authority, the Guyana Prison Service, the Guyana Fire Service, the Guyana Police Force and the Civil Defence Commission, the Guyana Defence Force, the Private Aircraft Association and the Maritime Administration.
The CDC head pointed out that components of the plan will include air search and rescue which will be undertaken by the GCAA; maritime search, to be undertaken by the maritime Administration (MARAD), and land search and rescue to be undertaken by the Guyana Police Force.
Col. Ramsarup added that the stakeholders have already completed the draft plan, completed consultations and are currently waiting to make their submission to Cabinet. Once the plan has been submitted to Cabinet for approval, Col. Ramsarup said that a Bill will be submitted to the National Assembly. However, all of the agencies involved, except for the Ministry of Health, have already signed their Memorandum of Understanding,
Highlighting some obstacles in the Search and Rescue (SAR) efforts, Col Ramsarup pointed out that resources continue to be a problem both human and otherwise.
“We have been conducting the different trainings, but so much more is needed, as it relates to communication for small vessels going out to high sea and small aircrafts…we are looking for a cheap method of communicating with these vessels.”
Prime Minister Samuel Hinds lauded the efforts thus far. He recollected that the efforts came about following a plane crash two years ago in the Upper Mazaruni area which killed some foreigners. He pointed out that back then the Search and Rescue efforts for the crew members and passengers of that flight were futile.  Neither the aircraft nor the crew was ever found.
“Today we are embarking on this plan and we are getting a lot of negative talks but let us look at what resources we have, compared to the bigger nations and be thankful for this achievement.”
The Prime Minister further lauded the efforts of the agencies involved and pledged his government’s continuous support towards the programme.
In addition, two agencies involved, the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority and the Maritime Administration made presentation of their soon to be implemented strategies. The GCAA plan for search and rescue will include being able to track, locate an overdue missing aircraft which may be in distress and rescue its occupants.
It was pointed out that such a plan was needed for Guyana since Guyana is a signatory to the Chicago Convention of the International Civil Aviation body. Most importantly the Search and Rescue services are needed since Guyana sees approximately 100 movements in its airspace daily.
There are 112 airstrips, 85 of which are operational.

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