President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali has instructed the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) to undertake a comprehensive review of the country’s aviation legislation and regulatory framework as Guyana prepares to manage a rapidly expanding air transport sector.
The President made the announcement on Tuesday while addressing the opening of the ICAO/EASA 3rd Global Regional Safety Oversight Organizations and Regional Accident and Investigation Organization Forum for Aviation Safety at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) in Georgetown.
He said the exercise will focus on identifying weaknesses in the existing regulatory system and ensuring that Guyana’s aviation framework is aligned with the highest international standards.
“Whatever we need to do to work backwards to reach those standards, we must invest in doing it so that we are at that standard,” President Ali said.
RAPID GROWTH BRINGS GREATER RESPONSIBILITY
The President said the review has become increasingly important as Guyana experiences unprecedented growth in international air travel.
International passenger traffic has increased by approximately 410 per cent, rising from about 205,000 passengers to more than one million.
At the same time, the number of international flights has climbed from 3,170 in 2020 to 8,891 in 2025.
According to President Ali, the increase in passengers, aircraft and operators is also making the aviation environment more complex, requiring stronger oversight and greater technical capacity.
He said the expansion must therefore be supported by properly trained inspectors, thorough certification processes and a regulatory culture where compliance with safety requirements cannot be compromised.
“That transformation will remain incomplete unless it is matched by an equally determined strengthening of regulation, safety oversight and enforcement,” he said.
CALL FOR COMMON REGIONAL STANDARDS
President Ali also used the forum to raise concerns about inconsistencies in aviation security and safety procedures across Caribbean airports.
He said travellers can encounter different transit and security requirements depending on the airport they use, creating uncertainty and potentially undermining public confidence in the regional aviation system.
The President called for greater consistency in the application of standards and stressed that regulators must be able to demonstrate tangible results to the travelling public.
“Regulators mean nothing if people don’t see the effect of your work. If people can’t feel the effect of your work, then they will judge you harshly,” he said.
REGIONAL CO-OPERATION NEEDED
President Ali proposed that the forum consider establishing a regional mechanism to assist Caribbean countries in addressing deficiencies identified through international aviation safety audits.
Rather than individual countries tackling the challenges independently, he called for closer collaboration and the sharing of technical expertise and resources.
He argued that weaknesses in one country’s aviation system can have consequences throughout the wider region because of the interconnected nature of international air travel.
“If one of our airports in the region does not meet the standard, it will affect all of us, because we’re interconnected,” President Ali said.
GUYANA HOSTS GLOBAL AVIATION FORUM
The two-day forum is being held under the theme, “Optimising Resources through Coordination and Cooperation.”
The event brings together civil aviation authorities and aviation specialists from approximately 60 countries to discuss safety oversight, accident investigation and ways of improving co-operation within the global aviation system.
It is the first global aviation event of its kind to be hosted in Guyana, providing the country with an opportunity to engage international partners on the future of aviation safety and regulatory development.
President Ali also toured the conference proceedings at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre as delegates continued discussions on strengthening aviation safety systems and improving regional co-operation.