Parts of the CJIA expansion that President Ali did not see

On Monday, President Irfaan Ali toured the troubled multi-billion dollar expansion of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA). It would have followed a meeting of the stakeholders, including the Chinese contractor, China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) and supervising contractor, with the President to update him on the challenges. However, it appeared that there were several parts of the airport where the president was not taken. Kaieteur News has accessed photos taken in the Departure Terminal, an area that was supposed to be torn down, or evacuated, not far from where persons would check in – it was not a pretty sight.

A wall separates it from the refurbished checkin area. It reportedly houses office spaces that are rented to airport operators for hundreds of thousands of dollars. Wires protruded and it was clear that work is still ongoing. CHEC, the Chinese contractor, has been hauled in with the President announcing on Monday that an investigation will be coming.

Ali also insisted that Guyana will not be accepting the project as is and there must be answers given who reduced the scope of works. The project has been dragging on now for almost a decade now with Guyana taking a loan for US$138M and plugging in another

US$12M, making it one of the largest infrastructural works ongoing at the moment for the country.

The contract was criticized for being overpriced and then it was questioned for its scope reducing drastically in scope. Among other things, the runway was supposed to be lengthened to accommodate wide-body jets and a brand-new terminal building built nearby the existing one. CHEC has, in the meantime, been concentrating on other privatelyrun projects. It started on the Movietowne project and completed it. It is now working on the Pegasus Hotel expansion with significant progress made. (Kaieteur News)