Renovated US$160M and counting CJIA now 95% complete

Mar 20, 2021 News

A decade later…

Artist impression of the new and modernised CJIA

Public Works Minister, Juan Edghill with Project Manager, Clarissa Goodings and CJIA’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ramesh Ghir (right) on the tour of the facilities yesterday

Kaieteur News – Guyana may be closer to seeing works completed on the modernized Cheddi Jagan International Airport albeit a decade later.
This was made known during a tour of the facility yesterday where Public Works Minister, Juan Edghill disclosed that ongoing works are at 95 percent completion and are on track for the agreed December 31 deadline.
During the tour, Minister Edghill expressed clear satisfaction at the pace with which the renovations have progressed since Government penned the new agreement with the Chinese contractor, China Harbor Engineering Company (CHEC).
After expending more than US$160 million, Government had reached its wits end with CHEC since it was not receiving favourable results with the contracts.“From all indications, we can express some degree of satisfaction that most of items, considered critical for the functionality of the airport are almost completed. That I can say represents a significant improvement from before and I can say to you that the travelling public will be well served,” Minister Edghill said.
Guyana’s new and modernized airport will receive a facelift complete with a superstructure to house restaurants, duty free stores and other amenities for travelers along with the two additional aerobridges to accommodate more aircrafts.
Minister Edghill revealed that Cabinet has approved $53 million in funds to complete needs repairs to the taxiways and international apron along with an additional $150 million to renovate CJIA’s office space – outside of the works to be completed by CHEC.
While concerns have been expressed on the issue of bonds for the project, Minister Edghill clarified that Guyana remains protected with a US$13.9 million performance bond intact along with a $6.9 retention bond to be cashed in when the project is completed.
Shoddy works coupled with years of delays led to the new agreement in February, which outlined that CHEC would bear the US$9 million to complete outstanding works on 71 items on the project.
Those included an extension of the airport’s boarding corridor in order to accommodate two more passenger boarding bridges, providing the airport with a total of six boarding bridges capable of servicing aircraft such as the Boeing 777, Dreamliner, the AirBus and similar trans-Atlantic aircraft.
It will also entail the terminal building being extended to provide accommodation for additional commercial space, including food courts and duty-free shops. The extended building will feature a modern airport façade covering the full length of the Departure Terminal.

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