Latest update March 26th, 2026 7:55 AM
Sod turned for new $7B arrival terminal at CJIA
President Irfaan Ali alongside British High Commissioner, Jane Miller, representative of the construction company and government officials, turning the sod on Monday at CJIA.
Kaieteur News – President Irfaan Ali on Monday turned the sod for the construction of a second terminal for the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).
According to information provided by the Ministry of Public Works, the construction of the second terminal will be done by BHM Construction Inc. out of the United Kingdom (UK) in collaboration with the largest airport group known for world class operations within the global aviation sector, Manchester Airport Group Ltd.
This 18-month project, which will begin in 2026, is said to serve as the new arrival terminal and is designed to promote Guyana’s biodiversity and cultural identity. Terminal 2 will feature business lounges, expanded concessions, and facilities to handle the increasing global demand.
Attending the sod-turning ceremony alongside President Ali was Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill; Minister within the Public Works Ministry, Deodat Indar; the British High Commissioner, Jane Miller; Managing Director of BHM Construction Inc., Phil Atkinson; along with several other Government Ministers, and aviation stakeholders.
In his brief remarks, the ministry stated that Minister Edghill noted that previous upgrades at the airport, including runway expansion and modernized bridges, were strategic steps preparing Guyana to become a major aviation hub.
Delivering the featured address, President Ali said this project is not only about Terminal 2, this is about setting up an aviation ecosystem that is global in scale.
“Our objective is to have a first-class aviation school in Guyana, is to have a first-class training program for aviation security in Guyana that is part of the knowledge economy that we are building, so that we can train the human capital in Guyana for the rest of the region,” the President stated.
Speaking on the new terminal, the President noted that a lot of work went into it in order to achieve what they want out of it. He said this would be not just a building, but an experience and a story.
An artist’s impression of the new terminal at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).
“The new terminal will tell a story of our culture, about life in Guyana. You will be walking through a journey of our culture, you will be celebrating who we are as Guyanese. You will be experiencing nature because that is what we have to build, we have to build something that represents the country and what we are known for,” he explained.
He added that the world is changing and if Guyana truly wants to position tourism at the center of its transformation then the terminal must tell a story. “It must tell a story of what embodies the country,” he added.
Noting of the works done to the CJIA over the years, President Ali noted this airport must be people friendly and customer oriented. “I said all the services must be less reliant and human biases and more structured systems and technology,” he informed.
In her brief remarks, British High Commissioner said that this project is another step in deepening the partnership between the UK and Guyana. She added BHM has worked in some 25 countries across the world and has already delivered 35 international airports, noting that they are a company that would bring quality.
“For me BHM is important because it doesn’t provide cookie-cutter solutions, it provides personalized solutions including complex projects,” she mentioned.
During the presentation of this year’s budget, the government had set aside some $7 billion towards this project. Senior Minister with the responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh had said that with the increase in international passenger traffic, government will be investing in the development of a new world class terminal effectively increasing the capacity and efficiency of the CJIA. “The new 150,000 square foot terminal building will showcase Guyana’s natural beauty, and will allow for additional duty-free zones, retail opportunities, rental offices and lounges. The CJIA will then be able to dedicate separate buildings for arrivals and departures, increasing capacity and efficiency. A sum of $7 billion has been budgeted to commence these works in 2025,” he had disclosed.
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