An additional $25M to build new offices at the newly renovated CJIA

Dec 13, 2021 News

Kaieteur News – A new office building for the renovated US$160 million and counting Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) is estimated to cost $25 million according to the airport’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Ramesh Ghir.
In a Department of Public Information (DPI) release, Ghir stated that the design for the construction of a new office building is completed and the next step is to go to tender for the selection of a contractor. It was stated that that the project is estimated to cost $25 million.

CJIA CEO, Ramesh Ghir

Kaieteur News has reported that the airport expansion project commenced in 2011, and was expected to be a US$150M venture; US$138M financed from the China Exim Bank and $12M from the consolidated fund – taxpayers’ money. However, to date more than US$160 million has already been spent on the contract.
The new office building falls under the multi-million upgrades that are being undertaken at the renovated airport, the additional upgrades to the airport was split into three parts – it should be noted that the upgrades are separate from the ongoing modernisation works being undertaken by Chinese Contractor, China Harbour Engineering Corporation (CHEC).
Kaieteur News recently reported that Ghir announced that within a decade, a second terminal will be needed at the airport. The CEO had also stated that efforts are being made to have the construction of the $513.7 million airport office building completed on time to house the duty-free bond, a conference room, offices for the airlines, and other supporting agencies.
Additionally, it was stated that the construction of the airport office building paves the way for more upgrades to CJIA and that talks with foreign investors have already commenced. It was reported in a DPI article that Ghir also noted, “With that new building, we are able to free up more space in the existing terminal building because maybe half of the staff is housed in the terminal. That now translates itself into concession space.”
The CEO further disclosed that the $38 million international apron and the taxiway Charlie should be completed soon.
Moreover, even though the Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill, had promised that the total cost for the project will not exceed US$200 million, that cannot be guaranteed now as the venture is currently a work-in-progress and the PPP/C administration is still pumping money into it.
Since Minister Edghill announced that the spending on the CJIA expansion will not surpass US$200 million–other subcontracts for works that were catered for in the original contract, but which the government now has to spend additional funds to do were signed by his Ministry for the airport.
One of those projects is for the “Construction and Rehabilitation Works of the VIP Lounge and new and existing commercial buildings of the airport at an estimated cost of GY$612,500,000.
Another subcontract project was estimated at GY$23,223,375 for the rehabilitation of the existing roof at the airport. In September, the Ministry awarded a contract for US$2M to a local company named Total Solutions for the supply of two additional air-bridges for the long ongoing CJIA project, some US$ 350,000 more than what was paid for the other air-bridges.
Also, a new runway was commissioned at the airport, complete with an Instrument Landing System (ILS) touted to reduce flights diversion by 90 percent. That aspect of the airport was completed at a cost of GY$518 million.
The airport was expected to be completed by December 31, 2021, but Minister Edghill said that, due to the constraints of shipping as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, works might not be completed until early 2022.