October 18,2016 Source

The twin-engine Cessna plane found at the Yupukari Airstrip, in Region Nine, originated from Colombia and residents had found it almost a month before an official report was made to authorities last month, according to the preliminary findings of Brigadier (Ret’d) Edward Collins.

Collins made the disclosure yesterday when he handed over a preliminary report from the Commission of Inquiry (CoI), which he is heading to probe the discovery, to Minister of State Joseph Harmon at the Ministry of Presidency.

“The aircraft was discovered by the Joint Services on September [13] but it was in that location long before that. There is enough evidence to suggest that the aircraft came from Colombia and was on its way to Guyana. It developed engine problems and the pilots had a requirement to conduct a certain manoeuver in order not to lose consciousness and when they got to Guyana, because the aircraft could not start, it remained there for a while. We have evidence to suggest that the residents found that site by August 18, 2016,” the Ministry of Presidency quoted Collins as saying in a statement.

Collins, who was commissioned to investigate, examine, advise and report on the circumstances under which the foreign aircraft entered into the country, noted that the residents were not forthcoming with providing information to security forces and it is likely that recommendations will include the development of better relations and communication between the security sector and members of communities in those areas.

“All of the Toshaos were interviewed and I do not know why they were unwilling to provide the information they had to the security forces. I can only assume… based on the evidence that I have received so far, that the relationship between the villages and the security forces is not as [we would have] expected,” he said.

The final report of the CoI is to be presented on November 16, 2016.

Harmon, according to the statement, expressed government’s gratitude for the work which has been completed so far, while noting that the administration looks forward to the final document and its findings and recommendations.

“We look forward to the final report when its gets here as well as the recommendations to improving the communication in the hinterland and our borders and the timeliness of that information [being transmitted] to the centre where the decisions have to be made…,” Harmon was quoted as saying.

A Joint Services team, headed by Superintendent Hugh Denhert of the Guyana Police Force, is also conducting an investigation that is pursuing and probing the areas beyond the scope of the Terms of Reference of the CoI.

The plane, bearing registration number N767Z, was first brought to the attention of officials on Tuesday, September 13, 2016 by a resident of the area. The following day, Wednesday, September 14, a team comprising the army, the police and the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) was dispatched to the location to conduct investigations.

Harmon had said subsequent to the discovery that the registration number has been revealed to be bogus since another aircraft with that number is currently being operated in the United States.