Govt. to spend an additional $ 2.5B on a refurbished CJIA
The refurbished terminal building that Guyana acquired as part of a $ 150M US project at CJIA. It was supposed to be new.
Kaieteur News – The Government has budgeted an additional $ 2.5 billion to complete (and count) the existing Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) at US $ 150 million. The Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Ashni Singh, announced these and other announcements on Friday when he introduced the 2021 national budget.
During his presentation to the National Assembly, Dr. Singh took the position, in taking office, that facing the People / Civic Progressive Party (PPP / C) in “a poorly adapted and redesigned CJIA.”
This, the Minister said, forced the government to take stringent remedial measures to ensure that the project fulfilled its commitment to being a modern international airport. In this regard, he said agreement had recently been reached with the contractor, China Harbor Engineering Company (CHEC), to provide for two more boarding bridges for large transatlantic aircraft. The deal also includes building the superstructure and facade for the new commercial center that will house additional duty-free shops, restaurants and lounges, he noted, at no extra cost to the government.
Now in 2021, about $ 2.5 billion has been allocated for further upgrading and modernization of the CJIA to fund other major improvements including the acquisition of the two additional passenger boarding bridges, bringing the total to six boarding bridges; re-establishing the airline and airport administration offices; and outerwear.
In addition, the Senior Minister said that a sum of $ 415 million had been budgeted for the completion, upgrading and restoration of many hinterland airways; $ 150 million for the construction of a new administration block at Timehri; and $ 187 million for the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) to upgrade the Timehri Control Tower, acquire Security Data Collection and Processing System as well as upgrade critical hardware and software.