Latest update March 23rd, 2025 9:41 AM

Guyana's largest selling daily and New York's most popular weekly

Latest News

ICAN meeting facilitates Open Skies Guyana/Canada Agreement

Dec 21, 2014 News

… 11 other air services agreements signed

Agents of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) attended an International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Air Services Negotiation (ICAN) meeting in Bali, Indonesia, and were able to sign on to several significant Air Service Agreements.
Extremely beneficial to the Guyanese aviation market, was the agreement of an open sky agreement between Guyana and Canada.
Canada is one of Guyana’s largest air traffic destinations, but up until November when the GCAA team attended the meeting, operators out of Guyana were only permitted to fly to certain locations in the country.
A public statement by the GCAA said that the new agreement between the two countries is imperative given the movement between the two ports.  “Of significant importance to Guyana immediately, was the conclusion of a fully Open Skies Air Services Agreement with Canada.”
The aviation body said that the new agreement replaces “the restrictive existing Air Services Agreement signed in May 2005.” The agreement will also create more opportunities for greater air linkages between the two countries, since it allows Guyanese air operators to access any point in Canada, it was stated.
The ICAN meeting which lasted from November 17 to December 21, was attended by Director General the GCAA Zulficar Mohamed, Saheed Sulaman, GCAA’s Air Transport Officer, Amanza Walton-Desir, the agency’s General Counsel, and Ramesh Ghir, Chief Executive Officer, Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).
The primary purpose of ICAN “is to facilitate a single forum where Contracting States of ICAO can conduct multiple bilateral (regional or plurilateral) air services negotiations or consultations for the growth and development of international air services.”
Guyana is a signatory to ICAO which has approximately 191 member states. GCAA said that the seventh ICAN meeting brought together 78 Contracting States of ICAO and was the biggest success of all ICAN meetings since its inception in 2008.
“There were more than 600 participants; 550 bilateral meetings and 530 Air Services Agreements and Memorandum of Understandings negotiated, initialled and signed.
Guyana was scheduled for thirteen 13 formal negotiation meetings with China, Kenya, Curaçao, Singapore, Ghana, United Kingdom, Norway, Netherlands, Iceland, Qatar, Russian Federation, Canada and Nigeria. With the exception of the Russian Federation, 12 of those negotiations were finalized resulting in the initialing of 12 Air Services Agreements and the signing of 11 Memoranda of Understanding and an Agreed Minutes.
With the exception of Norway, all of the Agreements initialed are provisionally effective until the formal Agreements are signed by the respective Governments, GCAA noted. “This means that traffic rights allowable under the Agreements can be immediately accessed by the bilateral parties to the Agreements.”
Air Services Agreements were negotiated with at least one country from each of the major continents and regions of the world, GCAA related. These are Singapore and China for Asia; Kenya, Ghana and Nigeria for Africa; Curacao for the Dutch Caribbean; Canada for North America; United Kingdom, Norway and Netherlands for Europe and Qatar for the Middle East.
GCAA said that these member states have emerging importance in aviation for traffic connectivity and is necessary in aiding Guyana’s strategic efforts in becoming an international hub to connect with the rest of the world.
GCAA classified Guyana’s participation in the ICAN meeting as a major success. “Guyana and Curaçao were the first two States to initial an Air Services Agreement and sign a Memorandum of Understanding to facilitate the exchange of traffic rights between the two countries.
Guyana was also among States with a high percentage of concluded Agreements, that is, a 92 percent conclusion rate.”
The aviation agency related that the negotiation of all of ICAN Agreements will significantly complement the current development initiatives of the Government to facilitate and enhance the country’s aviation sector.

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| March, 17th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Reliance Hustlers delighted for Youth Programme support from First Lady

Reliance Hustlers delighted for Youth Programme support from First...

Mar 23, 2025

Kaieteur Sports- President of Reliance Hustlers Sports Club Trevis Simon has expressed delight for the support of the Youth Programme from First Lady Arya Ali under her National Beautification...
Read More
Relentless Chase demoralize West Dem’ to remain unbeaten

Relentless Chase demoralize West Dem’ to remain...

Mar 23, 2025

AAG makes history with US$300K Adidas sponsorship deal

AAG makes history with US$300K Adidas sponsorship...

Mar 23, 2025

Historic NSC sponsored GGA 2nd Annual National Long Drive Championships set for March 29

Historic NSC sponsored GGA 2nd Annual National...

Mar 23, 2025

St. Lucia’s Elite Blazers takes aim at FIBA 3×3 World Tour in Edmonton

St. Lucia’s Elite Blazers takes aim at FIBA...

Mar 22, 2025

Petra/Milo U18 Football kicks off Round II action today

Petra/Milo U18 Football kicks off Round II action...

Mar 22, 2025

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.

Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: [email protected] / [email protected]

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]