‘We are in for the long haul’

– Dynamic, Roraima tell New York Guyanese

US-based Dynamic Airways, which has teamed with Guyana-based Roraima Airways to launch a new service to Guyana, told a large gathering of Guyanese based in New York that the airline is committed to a long-term service to Guyana.

A meeting was held with travel agents and Guyanese community leaders at the Sheraton Hotel at the John F Kennedy (JFK) Airport a week ago.

Captain Gerry Gouveia told the gathering that this new service by Dynamic Airways will compete with other carriers to earn Guyana’s national carrier status one day and fill the void created by the demise of Guyana Airways almost 40 years ago.

Gouveia made a strong pitch to promote and sell Guyana to Americans. He told listeners not to believe everything bad they read in the papers, noting that a lot of positive things are also happening in the country.

Dynamic Airways takes to the sky on June 26 and, according to Gouveia, “It comes at a time when Guyana is witnessing real tangible development on many fronts, including airport expansion and construction of first- class hotels”.

Gouveia, the Managing Director of Roraima Airways, argued that one of the biggest mistakes of the past was the disbanding of Guyana’s national flag carrier – Guyana Airways – and he hopes that one day he will be able to bring back that pride to Guyana and realise his dream of taking the Guyana flag international.

“That was part of Guyana’s history and experience…It’s a legacy which cannot be bought,” he noted. Sharing the stage with Tom Johnson, Senior Vice President for Business Development of Dynamic Airways, Gouveia made it clear that his company, Roraima Airways, is not just “working with Dynamic Airways” to bring this new service, but “we are partnering with them” and hoping to forge an alliance that will build Guyana.

One of his dreams, Gouveia said, was to take Roraima Airways international and that this new step in the airline’s operation is not “fly by night”, but one which has been carefully thought out with Guyana’s development in mind.

Full support

“We are putting our reputation, name and talent behind this project,” Gouveia stated. Gouveia assured the gathering that this new air service to Guyana does not intend to put any other service out of business, but is being launched to complement the existing services here.

“We intend to work closely with all carriers to exercise goodwill and good faith in the interest of Guyana,” he said.

This is happening at a time when Guyana is slowly tapping into the tourism market. At the moment, most of the airlines are ferrying mainly friends and relatives to Guyana, but Gouveia said Dynamic hopes to change this by working on tourism packages to fill the empty seats and put Guyana on the map as a tourist destination.

“People do not know we exist, and that’s our fault,” Gouveia stressed, noting that Guyana has never aggressively pursued tourism as a development means, whereas other Caribbean countries spend millions of dollars yearly in promoting their tourism products.

The gathering at the Sheraton Hotel, John F Kennedy Airport, New York, USA

“Those of you who have never gone to Kaieteur Falls or The Rupununi, shame on you,” Gouveia said, urging members of the diaspora to play a major role in promoting Guyana. Gouveia lashed out against the “negativism” being floated about the country.

He countered that “Guyana is a land of opportunities and must be promoted as that – and not as a country where crime, drugs and money- laundering are rampant”.

On drugs and crimes hampering development in Guyana, Gouveia asserted, “[That’s] Nonsense! …Talk to the IDB and the World Bank and you’ll see the economic development is real and solid.”

He noted that the private sector in Guyana is very organised and vigilant and are doing a lot to promote development. He said Guyana is a free country unlike what took place after Independence and 1992.

Investor confidence

He told the gathering: “We have to foster investor confidence everyday. We are hurting the people when we do not help investors and investor confidence. We have to all work together to create that environment.”

Dynamic Airways’ Tom Johnson, addressing the meeting, said his airline intends to work closely with the Government of Guyana in support of its tourism development. He noted that Dynamic Airways was a carrier with several aircraft, and one would be stationed in Guyana on a permanent basis. Johnson also alluded to the fact that Dynamic is an airline with its own planes, therefore the thought of any major delays at any time would be minimal, as there will be back up planes on the east coast of the US.

Johnson said they intend to offer more lift, more seats and more cargo space with their wide-body aircraft. He said theirs will be a year-round service with fair pricing. Also at the meeting — and adding his words of support for the new service — was Guyana’s Consul General to New York Brentnol Evans, who welcomed the company on behalf of the Government of Guyana.

He said the launching of the service is compatible with Guyana’s national development and competitive strategies. The senior Dynamics Airways official lauded the Guyana Government for its progress and for providing an environment for foreign companies such as Dynamic Airways to invest in Guyana.

Evans noted that Guyana has seen a culture of airlines coming and going. “We challenge Dynamic Airways to make sure that this culture comes to an end today,” Evans said.

The event was chaired by New York-based media personality Bobby Vieira.

Dynamic Airways flights will depart Guyana on Fridays, Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays at 12:30h, while the return trips will depart the JFK Airport at 09:00h on the same days.