Latest update March 2nd, 2026 12:30 AM
Govt. to remove squatters in Ogle Airport Protected Zone
…aviation community welcomes move
(Kaieteur News) – The Government of Guyana will be removing squatters illegally occupying lands within the protected perimeter of the Eugene F. Correia International Airport at Ogle, a decision welcomed by the local aviation community.
Speaking with Kaieteur News on behalf of the airport, Kit Nascimento confirmed that government was asked to relocate squatters on the western perimeter of the airport.
“These squatters are not only a danger to the airport, but also to themselves as they are in the direct flight path of the airport. They have been squatting there for over two years and we have made numerous appeals to them to relocate themselves without success.”
“We are particularly disturbed to find out one opposition party has encouraged them to stay where they are and has criticised the government for asking them to move and relocate,” Nascimento further noted.
Eugene F. Correia International Airport at Ogle.
In a statement issued Thursday, the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the operational integrity and safety of the aviation sector, particularly within the airport’s protected flight corridor and expressed support for the government’s enforcement actions to remove obstacles and squatters contravening safety regulations.
The regulator pointed to its Advisory Circular (Aerodrome & Ground Aid AC NO: GCAA AC/AGA/005), which states that any person proposing to erect a structure within ten nautical miles of a licensed aerodrome must first obtain approval from the relevant authority.
According to the GCAA, Obstacle Limitation Surfaces (OLS) standards are designed to safeguard passengers, crew, airport workers and residents. Any structure within the protected zone, it said, creates unacceptable risk exposure to aviation safety and security.
“Aviation safety is non-negotiable, and development within the Ogle corridor must align with national security and international aviation compliance standards,” the authority stated.
GCAA also reminded the public that unauthorised encroachment within an aerodrome’s protected safety zone is an offence.
Similarly, the Aviation Operators Association of Guyana also endorsed the initiative, noting that aviation safety requires obstacle clearance and designated safety zones around airports. It warned that impingement of these areas poses significant threats to aircraft and to persons who may unknowingly place themselves in danger due to their proximity to low-flying aircraft during landing and takeoff.
“As Guyana strives to build on key Aviation Safety Gains in the last few years, the Association calls on all citizens to act responsibly around aerodromes and avoid any actions that may affect the safety of others, or indeed, their own personal safety,” the body said.
Recently, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Members of Parliament Sherod Duncan and Juretha Fernandes met with some squatters near the airport.
It was reported that the residents told the MPs that they were not resisting development but were concerned about being left without a place to stay.
“We are not refusing to move, but we can’t move to nothing,” one resident said. The concerned raised from several persons is that the locations they have been offered to relocate to lack water, electricity, roads, and drainage. “You can’t tell people to leave here and send them somewhere with no light, no water, no road,” another resident stated.
Some parents voiced concern about disrupting their children’s schooling, while adults questioned how relocation without proper access routes would affect their jobs and transportation.
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