Ogle Airport subcontracts all services to family and friends

Mar 06, 2018 News

OAI Chairman, Michael Correia

Operators at the Eugene F. Correia International Airport are lamenting the nepotism being perpetuated by Ogle Airport Inc (OAI), the shareholder company that runs the airport.

The majority of shares in OAI are held by the Correia Group of Companies. Domestic aviation operators are upset that OAI continues to subcontract all services required by the airport to companies owned by the Correias as well as companies affiliated to that family and their businesses.

Operators are saying that such nepotism magnifies the need for Government to change the system where an operator is being allowed to regulate an airport. They are saying that an airport management should be fully independent of any investors or aircraft operators.

Several examples of conflict of interest at OAI were highlighted. Most featured an absence of tendering for services at the airport so the Correia Group of Companies benefitted from all opportunities at the airport.

The airport is currently renting office space from Caribbean Aviation Maintenance Services (CAMS), a subsidiary of the Correia Group, for only three officials.

This is despite the fact that there is space in the terminal building owned by the airport. The airport is paying hundreds of thousands of dollars, monthly for this space.

Further, the airport rents heavy duty equipment from Correia Mining Company for earthworks at the airport.

OAI has reportedly ensured that the earth from all drainage works at the airport is used as landfill on lands that are leased by companies related to the Correia Group.

Trans Guyana, owned by OAI Chairman, Michael Correia, does the airport financials. It is spearheaded by Trans Guyana Finance Director, Nicole Correia, who is the secretary of OAI and the sister of Michael Correia.

The law firm and public relations consultant of the Correia Group of Companies were also hired by the airport.

OAI Secretary, Nicole Correia

Further, the airport hired the Correias Safety Manager (Trans Guyana) as the airport Safety Manager.

It was also highlighted that OAI has invested in an engineering school without seeking proper board or shareholder approvals and then contracted the same school controlled by Correias to provide all training for the airport.

The Ogle Airport Management has and continues to improperly and abusively funnel all business opportunities for ground handling, refueling and parking to the Correia Group of Companies.

Despite the fact that both Roraima Airways and Wings Aviation are also ground handlers at CJIA, the only local company listed on the Ogle International Airport’s website as an approved ground handler is Trans Guyana Airways.

Even further, all of the international business and oil and gas services that have come into the airport are reportedly directed by OAI to the Correia Group of Companies.

Despite the earlier Ogle Airport Development Plan clearly demarcating domestic and international operations separate and apart from the same side of the airport, this has not happened to date.

Operators are complaining that international operators and service providers to the emerging oil and gas industry have precedence over the large number of domestic operators who contribute significantly to the hinterland and national development.

Severe discriminatory action by the airport resulted in the Government of Guyana writing OAI in 2011 to ensure that any land allocation at Ogle Airport receive the “no objection” of cabinet.

Since then, Michael Correia set up a land committee whose members are his sister, Nicole Correia, Marcel Gaskin, an OAI Director, who provides engineering consultancies to the airport; and Anthony Mekdeci.

Despite several requests by investors for a copy of the land lease register, the land committee has not provided same.

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