Latest update April 19th, 2024 12:59 AM
Feb 05, 2009 News
…will mobilize regional pool of aviation inspectors
The Caribbean Aviation Safety and Security Oversight System (CASSOS) was launched yesterday at the Caribbean Community (Caricom) Secretariat, Turkeyen.
CASSOS is expected to assist its States Parties in meeting their obligations as contracting States to the Chicago Convention by achieving and maintaining full compliance with the International Civil Aviation Organisation Standards and Recommended Practices.
It will also facilitate and promote the development and harmonisation of civil aviation regulations, standards, practices and procedures amongst its States Parties consistent with the Annexes to the Chicago Convention.
This entity will be the regional institution to provide, on request, technical guidance to participating states on all matters within its competence relating to civil aviation.
Its mandate also includes the mobilization of financial and other resources from the international aviation and donor community and Government agencies to support its activities.
It is expected that CASSOS will have an impact on the cost savings achieved by Member States through the pooling of the Region’s technical and other resources and on human resource development and compliance by Member States with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Standards and Recommended Practices.
As Prime Minister Sam Hinds said, the regional pool of 40 trained inspectors will be available to all member states to provide safety oversight. There are seven regional airlines.
This compliance will enhance safety and security, the competitiveness of regional carriers in international air transportation and consequently, the tourism sector.
CASSOS replaces the Regional Aviation Safety Oversight System (RASOS), which functioned as an informal arrangement among the CARICOM States for aviation safety oversight.
CASSOS will be responsible for testing carriers operating in the region and all aviation operators.
Mr. Anthony Archer, Director, Civil Aviation, Barbados, and outgoing Acting Chairman of the Regional Aviation Safety Oversight System (RASOS) was elected Chairperson of CASSOS and Mr. Ramesh Lutchmedial, Director General, Civil Aviation of Trinidad and Tobago, was elected Vice Chairperson.
The elections of office holders for two years were held at the first Ordinary Meeting of the Board of Directors of CASSOS at the CARICOM which came after the launching by Prime Minister Samuel Hinds.
Addressing the launching ceremony, Mr. Archer spoke about the volume of work that had to be done and said it was imperative that CASSOS had full support to carry out its functions effectively.
Prior to the First Board Meeting, presentations were made by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), the United States Federal Aviation Administration and Transport Security Administration FAA/TSA and RASOS.
Secretary General of Caricom, Dr. Edwin Carrington, described the launch as a significant milestone in the ongoing process of development of civil aviation in the Caribbean Community.
According to him, the importance of transportation, and in particular air transportation, to the Community cannot be overstated.
“First of all, let us not forget that the true meaning of community is a co-mingling of peoples. Thus, separated as our countries are by the sea, the building and maintenance of our Community is to a large extent dependent on our ability to efficiently move our people and our goods among the Member States and Associate Members.”
He said that CASSOS had its genesis in the Council for Trade and Economic Development’s (COTED) mandate for a more formal structure for collaboration in the sector.
In February 1998 in Barbados, at its Third Meeting, COTED adopted a draft Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), the finalisation of which led to the creation of the Association of Civil Aviation Authorities of the Caribbean (ACAAC) and the establishment of the Regional Aviation Safety Oversight System (RASOS).
Dr. Carrington stated that since the establishment of RASOS, issues had been raised about the need to review the provisions of the MOU and the Rules and Procedures that govern its operation.
According to him, this was called for with a view to clarifying the legal status of RASOS and providing for an expanded scope of functions to include all matters relating to the Annexes of the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation.
The Community Council of Ministers considered the matter of designation at its Fourteenth Meeting held in June 2004 in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, and mandated the CARICOM Secretariat to work with RASOS to develop an institutional and organizational format which would facilitate consideration of its designation as an institution of the Community.
Pursuant to the mandate of the Community Council, the Secretariat has worked diligently with the Board of RASOS, ICAO, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the United States and the relevant Organs of the Community. The result of these efforts was the finalization, signature and entry into force in July 2008 of the Agreement establishing CASSOS.
CASSOS has full juridical personality, Dr. Carrington added.
“The membership of CASSOS is open to CARICOM States, Associate Members and other States and territories in the Caribbean and I am pleased to note that the United Kingdom authorities have indicated an interest in its Caribbean territories participating in CASSOS.”
Senior Representative of the FAA, Maria DiPasquantonio, who also addressed the forum, congratulated CASSOS on becoming an institution of Caricom.
“We look forward to working with this important regional Organisation.” According to her, the FAA endorses this regional approach to increasing safety and efficiency of the global aviation system and looks forward to working with CASSOS and its member states as they continue to move global aviation forward and continue to work for increases in safety and efficiency.
Present at the function were Prime Minister, Samuel Hinds; Minister of Transport and Hydraulics, Mr. Robeson Benn, Directors of Civil Aviation, Members of the Diplomatic Corps and others.
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