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FM
Former Member

Large number of foreigners denied entry at CJIA cause airline worry

October 16, 2015 11:25 am Category: latest news A+ / A-

By Jomo Paul

Captain Gerald Gouveia.

Captain Gerald Gouveia.

[www.inewsguyana.com] – One airline is reporting that close to 60 foreign nationals from different countries have been denied entry into Guyana in recent months.

This was revealed at an Insel Air press conference on Friday, where local representative Captain Gerry Gouveia lamented the ineffectiveness of the current immigration system at the Chieddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).

Gouveia told media operatives with the advent of new airlines covering new air routes to and from Guyana  has led to a change in passengers arrival profile. This development, he claims, has not been met satisfactorily by the Immigration Department.

“Our own immigration needs to ramp up their methodologies of dealing with the new immigration dispensation in Guyana,” said Gouveia.

inselInsel Air has been expanding its network and routes which has led an influx of persons from different countries.

He said that one of the ways the government could work to avert the denial of entry by persons is by making its immigration policies pellucid and available to the entire airlines network.

“They should set our clear guidelines. If you are going to issue visas on arrival then you need to have very clear guidelines…so that agents across the world clearly understand what the criteria is so that people do not meet here and find out that they do not meet the criteria,” he stated.

While Guyana is pushing to developing the tourism sector; Gouveia stated the country needs to adopt a welcoming posture and image to the world. He says as it stands this is not the case.

“We need to be very clear about what those guidelines are…We are anxiously awaiting those guidelines so we can distribute it into our networks,” he emphasized.

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Numerous in-bound InselAir passengers refused entry in six months; agent sounds appeal for "clear guidelines"

Numerous in-bound InselAir passengers refused entry in six months; agent sounds appeal for "clear guidelines"

At least 60 persons travelling aboard InselAir have been refused entry to Guyana during the last six months, pointing to the urgent need for clear immigration rules.
Chief Executive Officer of Roraima Airways, Gerry Gouveia said there was urgent need for "very clear guidelines."

Company officials said the figure rose to 60 Wednesday night (October 14, 2015) when six passengers were not allowed entry by immigration officials.
“You either have visas or you are not going to have visas. If you are going to issue visas on arrival, then you need to have very clear guidelines about what the criteria is so that people do not arrive in Guyana only to find out that they do not meet the criteria,” he said.
He said top officials of InselAir are due in Guyana shortly to, among other things, lobby government for the speedy introduction of those rules and their placement on a website for the benefit of airlines  across the world
Roraima Airways is the ground handler and general sales agent for Insel Air in Guyana.
Gouveia could not immediately say what has been the dollar impact on the airline as a result of the number of persons being refused entry. He said paid outgoing passengers are being inconvenienced. "It is in fact a very detrimental effect on the airline business," he said.
Roraima Airways says most of those refused entry were Haitians, Chinese, nationals of the Dominican Republic and Indians.

The Guyana government has said the major reasons for denying entry have been insufficient funds, inaccurate information about connecting flights, no local contact person or local address and no visas, partly leading to suspicions of human trafficking.
Gouveia emphasised the importance of government stating where foreigners could obtain visas and what the requirements for obtaining visas on arrival are.
He said the issue has arisen because InselAir now offers connecting flights from other destinations that have had usual immigration oversight and screening. “Before, all passengers coming to Guyana would have passed through the filtration systems of the visas of the UK (United Kingdom), Canada and the US (United States) before people get to Guyana. Now, with the advent of COPA and InselAir there are many people who are arriving in Guyana who did not pass through the filtration system and so our own immigration needs to ramp up its methodologies to deal with this new dispensation of arrivals to Guyana,” said Gouveia.
Roraima Airways announced that InselAir would soon been offering flights to and from Atlanta, Georgia where there is a large Guyanese community.
With the collapse of the Venezuelan airline, Conviasa, on the Guyana route Gouveia said InselAir was offering flights to Venezuela where there is a large number of Guyanese living and working.
InselAir also intends begin flying to several Eastern Caribbean destinations and Guadeloupe.
The airline offers same-day connections to Havana, Miami, Colombia, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Miami, and St. Maarten. 

FM
Originally Posted by asj:

How much more backwards and dotish can the Guyana Government be?

Numerous in-bound InselAir passengers refused entry in six months; agent sounds appeal for "clear guidelines"

cain
Originally Posted by redux:

about time they reined in this immigration lawlessness the PPP encouraged at CJIA

Make note that the nationals being denied entry are those who cannot establish a valid reason for being in Guyana.  No address, lacking funds, no evidence of return ticket.  Even with a US visa I had to prove those things, before I migrated here.

 

Visas are issued upon entry, based on the person being able to establish their credentials.  I cannot help but note that these are the very source countries for human trafficking, or illegal immigration into Guyana.  If they Chinese want to bring in their people they need to get work permits for them, and meet them at the airport.

 

Insel knows full well that they cannot play fast and loose with the USA.  I am willing to bet that these are neither business people, or bona fide tourists, who would arrive with cash/credit cards, evidence of a return flight, and an address at a home or hotel.

FM
Last edited by Former Member

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