Ogle Airport lands leased since 2010 used as private football field-but small operators being stifled

Ogle Airport lands leased since 2010 used as private football field—but small operators being stifled

Apr 19, 2019 News

This leased area was since 2010 being used as football field.

A press release from Ogle Airport Inc. (OAI) public relations consultant, Kit Nascimento, stated that it is absolute rubbish for Kaieteur News to report that an aircraft operator is being denied land in favour of ExxonMobil which headquarters are being built on non airside land leased commercially in accordance with the Airport’s Lease Agreement.
What he did not state was that a large portion of non-airside land which was subleased since 2010 to one of the companies he works for was allowed by the Ogle Airport Inc. Board of Directors, its Land Committee and the Airport Management to remain undeveloped to date. This large plot of non airside land is being used as a football field.
Nascimento chose to co-mingle land outside and inside the airport to argue his case that there are no existing aircraft operator land use applications which in any way compete with the Exxon Mobil access to land for the construction of its office headquarters.
What he did not state was that Hinterland Aviation, a small Guyanese domestic operator had applied to Ogle Airport Inc. since 2012 for a 100ft x 100ft plot of airside land.
In a process that lasted from the application in 2012 to denial in 2017, Hinterland’s Managing Director, Captain Emile Jahan, was advised by OAI in October 2017 that not only did his company not qualify for land but furthermore, there were 40 other applications ahead of his company.
According to Nascimento, recently, the roughly 408 acres of land leased to OAI for the development of an international airport, only 150 acres is suitable for actual development- 60 acres of which is dedicated to airside development.
What he did not state was that premium lands which were allocated in 2006, 2007 and 2010 were allowed to remain undeveloped to date.
Furthermore, prime lands inside the airport which were allowed to remain undeveloped since 2007 are now part of an arrangement where necessary funding has been identified for its development in order to service the oil sector.
Whilst he stated that the airport recently wrote to all current and potential airside operators inviting qualified Expressions of Interest for airside property he did not state that the airport did not provide a land development plan showing potential lessees where the available land existed and in what condition.
According to Nascimento, on receipt of Expressions of Interest, interested operators will be required to complete a formal application to be processed in accordance with the Airport’s Land Use Policy. They are treated on a “first come first serve basis” on the date of completion of the application, submission of designed plans and projected start-up construction date.
What he did not mention is that one Guyanese aircraft operator who had paid $75M for his lease in full since 2017 and had then expended another $25M to fill in the swamp was not treated on a first come first serve basis.
Two other larger companies who did not pay in full for their lands were placed ahead of that company.
Nascimento also stated that OAI wishes to point out that prospective users of airside land must be able to meet internationally established standards and best practices demanded of operators on all international airports and which are compliant with the requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA).
What he has not stated is that OAI and its Land Committee have different benchmarks for different companies.
OAI has leased 15 acres to ExxonMobil for that oil company to build a local headquarters.
The deal has raised questions as Guyana is receiving very little of the money.