New CJIA expansion designs made public as year-end deadline pledged

Jan 22, 2017 News

-residents relocated

Residents who were affected by the expansion of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) US$150M expansion project, Timehri, were relocated to a new housing scheme by the Ministry of Public Infrastructure.
The new housing scheme was developed right in Timehri, within walking distance of the CJIA, to accommodate persons who were affected by the project, a government release said.
Displaced persons were given house lots and some were relocated within Timehri North.
Approximately 19 residents are expected to be moved, according to Ministry of Public Infrastructure Project Manager, Carmichael Thorne.
Thorne was speaking during a recent Labour Department visit to the airport project. Currently, five out of the 19 residents have received houses from the Ministry.
Thorne explained that the other persons will not be affected for now since only the runway project is currently on track. Other allotments will be done in due course, if and when it becomes necessary.
Thorne noted that the CJIA expansion project entails the construction of a new terminal building, which will begin at the end of the month.
Additionally, the existing terminal building will be modernised to house departures only.
Both ends of the runway have been extended by 710 metres to the North-East and 840 metres to the South-West, with sand filling and concrete filling to commence soon. Works are currently ongoing to relocate two cargo hangers and a Rubis filling station; these are buildings between the control tower and current departure building.
The construction is complete for the new diesel generator room while construction of a new fire pump station and the implementation of a new boarding corridor with bridges are to begin shortly.
Deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the CJIA, Andrea Kellman, said the project is expected to be completed by November this year.
However, the deadline is challenged by delays which occurred under the previous administration.
According to Kellman, “The project has now picked up its momentum.”
Project Manager, Kevin Lui of China Harbour Engineering Company Limited (CHEC), the company contracted for the airport expansion project, said daily meetings are being held to address the challenges facing the completion of the project.
Lui explained that normal airport operation is one reason for the sloth of the project.
He explained that no one party can solve the issue, since the various airlines and higher authorities will have to collaborate to resolve these challenges.
However, Lui expressed gratitude for the government’s role in the project.
The airport expansion project commenced on January 16, 2013, but due to several delays the date was extended.
The Government of Guyana had been forced to call in CHEC to renegotiate the terms after it became clear that the Chinese company was way behind.
CEO of CJIA, Ramesh Ghir, at a year-end press conference hosted by the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, had indicated that the project is expected to be completed by this year end.

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