Incestuous relations highlighted at Eugene F. Correia Airport

Jan 28, 2018 News

An overhead shot of the “development”

…as Correia Mining Company land special lease
One of the original investors of Ogle Airport Inc, (OAI) Michael Correia, has been able to lease for himself a sizeable plot of land at the Eugene F. Correia International Airport.
Since 2010, the land was leased to Correia Mining Company Inc. (CMC).One source told Kaieteur News, “When we found out about the land, we wondered what a mining company wanted with land at an airport. We were later told that the he was planning to provide ‘support services,’ whatever that means.”
This newspaper is in possession of a copy of the lease agreement between OAI and CMC. The agreement states clearly that the land was supposed to be developed within two years. The agreement states, “The Lessee wishes to sublease from the lessor that portion of the property described hereunder for the purpose of providing support services to the airport.”
Then under the beneficial operation clause, it is stated that “the lessee shall within two years from the commencement date of this lease, complete the construction of on the premises of an aircraft hanger and or other suitable structures in accordance with plans submitted by the lessee and approved by the lessor.”
Despite these provisions in the agreement, not only was the land permitted to remain undeveloped seven years later. Today, there seems to have been recent approval for the land to be used as a football field.
Kaieteur News understands that there are several other subleases for large tracts of non airside land which have been issued by Ogle Airport Inc to a large aircraft operator since 2003 that also remains undeveloped. In spite of the clear requirement to be developed within four years, the OAI has permitted these subleases to remain undeveloped.
All this is happening while two small Guyanese aircraft operators are still awaiting a positive feedback from OAI to their long expressed interest in being allocated small parcels of land on both the airside and non airside of the airport.
In 2011, the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic government, being aware of the abuse of land, had taken a decision to prohibit any further land distribution at the airport without the approval of cabinet and had written to Ogle Airport Inc on this matter. Kaieteur News is in possession of that letter signed by the then Minister of Public Works, Robeson Benn.
It is unclear as to what the position of the present administration is but aviation stakeholders are hoping that the relevant Ministers would look into the matter of abuse of land at the airport which is a public utility.
Eugene F. Correia International Airport is operated by OAI. OAI is a private sector company with several investors, Correia being one of the largest.

OAI was granted a lease Lands and Survey Department for 441 acres. The land lease to OAI is bound by specific conditions agreed to between the government and OAI. The lease specifies that OAI must first cater to the needs of those in the aviation sector.