President Irfaan Ali today commissioned a new Aerodrome at Eterinbang, in the Upper Cuyuni River area in honour of the late Brigadier Gary Beaton, who died tragically along with 4 other servicemen in a helicopter crash last year.
This airstrip, which has been out of operation for more than year, is one of the main points of entry in an area dominated by mining activities and is also close to the Venezuelan border, where the Cuyuni River separates the two countries.
The President said the commissioning of the airstrip will also revitalize economic activities and service delivery in the community which have been dormant since the airstrip went out of operation.
“This facility will now lead to many other developments in the community, because this was the facility that was keeping the community back economically and from an infrastructure perspective because you could not get stuff in, now we have this facility that is all-weather and the tarmac we are going to build and the agriculture project that we are going to launch, it will grow the opportunities for the community,” the President noted.
With the airstrip named in memory of Brigadier Gary Beaton, President Ali recalled the sacrifices he made to the Guyana Defence Force throughout his professional career.
At the time of the tragic accident, Brigadier Beaton was overlooking the airstrip project.
Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill noted that the commissioning of the airstrip will be crucial for the Region Seven communities and can boost trade in the area.
“The Eterinbang airstrip has long been a cornerstone for region 7, serving a community of over 850 residents and supporting mining operations, it was a hub of activities of 15 to 25 flights daily during its peak. However, as time pass the original laterite surface deteriorated and large rots and depression formed making the airstrip unsafe and unreliable especially during the rainy season,” Mr. Edghill recall.
Meanwhile, Dr. Jennifer Westford, the widow of Brigadier Beaton, remembered him as a man dedicated to the cause and who was dedicated to the development of the country.
“And today even though we are honouring him and all of us would have preferred he being here today, receiving these accolades and speaking about this project and I believe there is a season for everything and what we all need to do, is use this time we have here and leave a positive legacy,” Ms. Westford said.
The Eterinbang airstrip was constructed by the Guyana Defence Force and Ministry of Public works.
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