Ogle airport shuts down to accommodate President’s Berbice flight
…arriving flights asked to ‘circle’ city until Granger’s departure
…NA placed under unprecedented lockdown
Planes arriving at the Eugene F Correia International Airport, Ogle, East Coast Demerara (ECD), were reportedly told to “circle” Georgetown on Friday afternoon, to accommodate President David Granger, who was travelling via air from Berbice, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).
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In one instance, a Trans Guyana Airways flight arriving from Karasabai, South Pakaraima, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), had to fly around the city several times since the pilot was told that he could not land the aircraft until the Head of State’s flight takes off.
A passenger in one of the flights that were asked to “circle” the city said that the pilot notified those on the flight of the delay.
It is unclear as to how many flights and passengers were delayed in order to accommodate the President’s flight.
Several calls made to Eugene F Correia International Airport went unanswered. The situation was no different with Trans Guyana Airways. However, an employee at the airport told this newspaper that it is a Standard Operating Procedure to put flights on hold when the Head of State is leaving via the airport. He said that he cannot confirm that was the case on Friday evening but he also knows that there can be technical issues that may cause air traffic controllers to ask pilots of incoming flights to “circle” the city.
NA lockdown
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Meanwhile, in New Amsterdam, some residents and commuters were annoyed that they were inconviemnce to accommodate the president at the opening of NA Town Week 2019.
According to residents, barricades were placed to keep out persons who may wantto protest against president. However, some reisdents were furious at the security checks they had to undergo as they made their way in and out of the area where the event was being hosted.
Abusing authority
Only on Thursday Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo, during his weekly press conference called out the APNU/AFC Government, specifically President Granger, for what he described as abusing its limited authority when travelling locally in relation to security detail.
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