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Apr 24, 2013 News
By Zena Henry
Fly Jamaica is still to present pertinent information to local government officials and that has caused some slothfulness in the company receiving authorization to operate here.
That was the explanation given by Head of Guyana Civil Aviation Authority Zulfikar Mohammed, who refuted allegations that government is purposely trying to stall Fly Jamaica in providing air services to the country.
The Aviation department which deals primarily with aviation technicalities was adamant and expressed surprise over allegations by Fly Jamaica that officials were dragging their feet on granting authorisation despite the airline providing what they called “necessary documentation”.
Mohammed said that Guyana always welcomes airlines wishing to service the country, and in particular, thinks that it is a good idea that Fly Jamaica should show interest in the country.
“It’s always a good idea to have services rendered here. They (Fly Jamaica) have engaged us and have to provide information to the government and the aviation authorities. I just don’t know where they got the idea that we are dragging our feet,” the authority head told this newspaper.
Mohammed went on to say that authorisation cannot be granted to Fly Jamaica without the requested documents and added that Guyana is different from other countries, “So what is requested from the airline has to be provided.”
Mohammed was speaking specifically to statements that Guyana was asking questions that international countries such as the United States and Canada had not put forward.
Fly Jamaica contends that it is a fully certified air carrier having received authorisation from Jamaica – the flight’s origin – and the United States, while Canada will soon come on board. The airline argued that the prime information was provided to local authorities but a positive response was lacking. This seemed puzzling to airline officials who said for one, Guyana seems to be in an aviation dilemma with the failure of EZjet which had several (administrative problems), REDjet’s indefinite suspension and the upcoming pullout of Delta Airlines.
“We are not concerned with the United States and Canada, we have our policies and they have to abide by them,” Mohammed affirmed. He said that consultations were held between Fly Jamaica and Guyana last year and since then, the required documents had not been provided. When this is done, Mohammed asserted, aviation authorities would have no problem again engaging the airline.
When Kaieteur News contacted co-owner of Fly Jamaica, Guyanese, Cpt. Ronald Reece, about the stalling of the documents, he said that to the best of his knowledge, the airline had provided all necessary documents during the application process which entailed the airline’s owners, its base, certificates and flight routes among other things.
He however noted that Fly Jamaica is at the time engaging Canada and would by summer attain certification to provide services there. Following that, attention would again be turned to Guyana he said.
Along with Captain Reece, the aircraft’s partners include the company’s Chief Executive Officer, and three Jamaican shareholders, two of whom are Captain Lloyd Tai, and Manager of In-flight Services, Christine Steele, both former senior officials in Air Jamaica, the former Jamaica carrier.
The newly launched Fly Jamaica had emphasised going through vigorous regulatory aviation requirements for 14 months to get itself in order, according to aviation rules.
Lt. Col. (Capt.) Egbert Field, another Guyanese aviator affiliated with Fly Jamaica had highlighted in a letter to this newspaper that Fly Jamaica completed the full certification which was issued with an Air Operators Certificate and associated Operations Specifications by the Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority (JCAA) while the airline was further issued their Operations Specifications by the Federal Aviation Administration (US) and Licence approval by the Department of Transport (US).
Some officials of Fly Jamaica had expressed disappointment at the state of affairs, expecting that Guyana would have worked with “men of the soil” to aid an issue such as the flight situation plaguing the country.
They said they could not understand how an airline such as EZjet had been pegged as the nation’s flag carrier with all the irregularities surrounding their legitimacy and eventual collapse, while a highly accredited airline like Fly Jamaica is getting difficulty to even fly here.
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