Last Updated on Thursday, 22 December 2016, 7:25 by Derwayne Wills
Guyana’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has scored 64% from an audit assessment facilitated by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), according to the local aviation body’s head, Egbert Field. This marks an increase considering Guyana’s previous score of 44%.
Field told Demerara Waves Online the CAA “fell down a little in the audit because we did not have enough expertise.” He said gaining that expertise for full compliance is an expensive process and every country would normally face this.”
The CAA Director-General believes, with government support, Guyana can achieve full compliance “because if we do not establish a robust oversight system, we will not be in a position to face the challenges that will arrive in another two or three years.”
Field said CAA’s documentation impressed the ICAO’s auditor who was satisfied with the body’s regulations. “All he asked was that we continue to train our people and also to acquire some additional skills within the Authority,” he continued.
The CAA head went on to explain that even with a new batch of inspectors, those persons would require two years to train those persons to the point of full inspectors.
To aid this, Field said the Authority is “sourcing some experienced inspectors from the Caribbean, maybe another two or three, and they would be the mentors and also the instructors for those coming in so they can understand or appreciate the on-the-job training.”
Field underscored his intention to run the Authority as stated and outlined by ICAO, saying he would not condone corruption. “We are going to move ahead as a family and with that collaboration within the authority, we are going to make this authority one of the best authorities in the Caribbean.”
Asked how soon Guyana could move in the direction of full compliance, Field said “we will not be in a position for this next month. We’d have to say within the year.
A lot of it depends on whether the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) decides to come conduct its audit here, but we are going to continue to build.”
Field says he is committed to building, within the next 6 months, a fully-prepared staff when the United States; Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) audit comes into being.
Unless Guyana regains a very ICAO score and ultimately the FAA’s Category One rating, this country will be unable to register airlines to fly to North America.
