THE Aircraft Owners Association of Guyana (AOAG) yesterday bemoaned the fact that the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) is without the services of qualified flight operations oversight capability.
AOAG Communication Consultant, Mr. Kit Nascimento, spoke at a press conference, held at Caribbean Aviation Maintenance Services Limited (CAMS), when he responded to a statement by Minister of Transport and Hydraulics, Mr. Robeson Benn.

The latter, last Wednesday, defended the Ministry decision, through the GCAA, to ground a Cessna 208 Grand Caravan registered to Air Services Ltd (ASL).

Nascimento reiterated that the minister’s remarks are of concern because several requests were made for the authority to engage the services of a qualified flight operations inspector.

He said it was proposed, on numerous occasions, that, until the problem is resolved, the authority will utilise the services of the Regional Aviation Safety Oversight System (RASOS) for the purpose of flights oversight.

However, in spite of and against the advice of RASOS, Nascimento said the minister sanctioned the authority utilising the services of an unqualified officer to perform the duties.

Nascimento said AOAG maintains that, in the interest of safety, there can be no compromise with the standards and, as such, the officer that the GCAA appointed to act in that capacity does not meet the prerequisites and is unsuitable and deficient in a number of other respects.

Meantime, the AOAG is looking forward to the minister and GCAA reviewing their position on the issue in the interest of the proper and safe regulatory administration of civil aviation in Guyana Nascimento said.

According to him, since 2003, GCAA is without a qualified flight operations inspector, in accordance with the requirements set out its regulations and in compliance with the standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

Nascimento said AOAG has held repeated meetings and has been in extensive correspondence with previous ministers and the Director General of Civil Aviation and Chairman of the GCAA Board, since 2004, but the issue is yet to be satisfactorily resolved.