With increased training and collaboration, Security personnel stationed at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport were able to intercept and confiscate more than 15,000 prohibited items last year, the airport’s Chief Executive Officer, Ramesh Ghir, has reported.
At a Saturday news conference, Mr. Ghir said the Cheddi Jagan Airport continues to boost its security with increased international training of its workers to detect prohibited items and prevent them from getting on an aircraft.
“Over 15,000 items were detected and I really want to commend the security staff at the airport for the work they have been doing. Over 7,000 liquids and gels which were not permitted to go on aircraft, 483 sharp objects, 7,000 plus powdery substance and 28 live rounds, these were confiscated during 2024,” the airport CEO noted.
Further Mr. Ghir told reporters that the airport has put systems in place to resolve passenger complaints, and that has resulted in more issues being resolved.
Passenger traffic
In giving a breakdown on the number of persons that used the country’s ports of entry Mr. Ghir stated that Guyana recorded its largest passenger movements at various ports of entry last year, with over one million passenger movements recorded at the countries four ports of entry—the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Eugene F. Corriea Airport, the Moleson Creek crossing and the Lethem crossing.
Mr. Ghir, said the passenger movement was unprecedented and he noted that passengers also had more travel choices due to the four new airlines joined the Guyana route last year.
“In 2024, there were 856,830 passengers which is a 17% increase over 2023, that means we have processed 107,380 more passengers. The growth that we experienced is 30% increase and if one was to look at all ports of entry, we have processed one million and seventy-two thousand passengers which CJIA 856,830, Ogle 72,000, Moleson Creek 114,000, Lethem 28,000,” Ghir told the Press conference.
Mr. Ghir said more than 441,000 passengers arrived at CJIA last year alone, doubling the numbers from 2021 which was 186,000.
“A lot of this growth is related directly to economic development that is happening in the country. In aviation it has shown that there is a direct relation between passenger growth and GDP. In terms of aircraft landing, we had five thousand and eighty-three international aircraft landing compared to four thousand three hundred and forty-one and this year was unprecedented due to the fact we have four new aircraft flying the route,” Mr. Ghir noted.
The Cheddi Jagan Airport is still undergoing construction and expansion works, and there is a new hotel also being constructed close by.
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