Latest update November 21st, 2024 1:00 AM
Dynamic Intl. eyes large scale Guy/NY Agri-shipments
…says new Govt. commits to sourcing specialized scanning equipment
From left: Dynamic International’s John Mullins, Captain Gerry Gouveia and James Swollen
Dynamic International Airlines and the new Government of Guyana are currently looking towards the daily export of as much as 10 tonnes of agricultural produce, per flight, to land in New York.
The announcement came yesterday by Chief Operating Officer of the International Airlines, John Mullins, who flew to Guyana to take part in the first ever Aviation Conference being held locally and hosted at the Arthur Chung International Convention Centre.
The media was updated by Mullins and local representative, Captain Gerry Gouveia, at Duke Lodge in Kingston.
It was pointed out that already the team has submitted to the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCCA), its clearance for the export of agricultural produce to New York from the American Department of Transportation (DOT).
The officials also reported to media operatives that currently, the biggest hurdle facing the initiative is the acquisition of a specialized scanner to be in place at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, an American requirement for such large shipments of produce.
Mullins reported that the need for the specialized scanner comes about as the result of the produce having to be shipped along with passengers, which attracts a greater level of scrutiny on the part of the airport.
He told the local media corps that the need for the specialized scanner for the agricultural produce was represented to several government stakeholders locally, including the relevant Ministers and there was an encouraging commitment given in order to source the equipment.
Speaking with Kaieteur News following the announcement, Mullins expressed confidence that the new government of Guyana will ensure that the specialized scanner will be acquired and put in place.
He said, what is required in a circumstance such as this where the opportunity presents itself to have Guyana’s fresh produce landing in New York daily, requires leadership which he believes is in place.
According to Mullins, Dynamic International is looking to create employment opportunities in Guyana in the thousands and this could not be done simply through hiring locals as flight attendants and other ancillary personnel.
In this vein, the officials announced that Dynamic Airlines will in fact be looking to work much more closely with the Ministries of Agriculture and Health and the Local farming and Agricultural community.
It was pointed out that the sanitary and phyto-sanitary standards that are required by America for shipments of agricultural produce into that country will see the need for locals to be assisted in terms of the preparation of the shipments.
Gouveia used the opportunity also, to point out that the majority of the fresh Agricultural produce for sale in New York comes from Santo Domingo, items as seemingly mundane as mangoes, a fruit grown and wasted in abundance locally.
It was pointed out that with the Dynamic International initiative to land fresh produce in New York from Guyana daily, it opens up the opportunity for items to be harvested in the mornings locally and by evening is prepared for use in major hotels by evening.
Meanwhile, it was pointed out also that with a 90 per cent seating load on flights out of Guyana on the days it does operate, the company will be looking to increase its scheduled flights to Guyana on a daily basis.
Essentially apologizing for what he called ‘inconsistencies’ in the start up of the operations of Dynamic International which wreaked havoc on the travelling public during the December/January season last, Mullins said that measures have been put in place to ensure there isn’t a recurrence.
In fact, the official said that as the traffic increases for the upcoming holiday travels and activities such as Guyana’s upcoming 50th Anniversary, the company is even looking to ensure that there are standby planes in place should there be any problems.
Gouveia, the local representative for the company said the airline will also be working closely with the Guyana Government when it comes to addressing airlift capacity into the country for special occasions such as the upcoming 50th Independence Anniversary celebrations.
He said too that the airline will also be looking to work closer with other sectors such as the budding tourism industry in order to market Guyana as a destination at trade and other such fairs across the world.
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