Pres Ali orders aviation laws review to close safety gaps, strengthen standards

President Dr Irfaan Ali on Tuesday revealed that he has ordered a review of the country’s aviation laws and regulations, in order to identify gaps and strengthen standards. He made the disclosure while delivering the feature address at the 3rd Global Regional Safety Oversight Organisations (RSOO) and Regional Accident and Investigation Organisation (RAIO) Forum for Aviation Safety in Georgetown.

The Head of State underscored the importance of this review, noting that as the local aviation sector grows, so too must the country’s regulatory institutions.

“Modern infrastructure and expanded services must therefore be accompanied by strong regulatory institutions, properly trained inspectors, rigorous certification, effective surveillance and a safety culture in which compliance is nonnegotiable. Aviation can grow only as safely as the regulatory framework that governs it. And I’ve asked the Civil Aviation Authority to look at all our laws, all our regulations, to identify the gaps and to ensure we are applying the highest standards and whatever we need to do to work backwards to reach those standards, we must invest in doing it so we are at that standard,” he said. 

In fact, President Ali underscored the importance of maintaining high standards in the industry, noting that it is a discipline that must be practiced daily. He stressed that “the moment an aviation system begins to believe that its good safety record makes it safe from complacency, it has begun to undermine the very culture that produced that record”.

Moreover, Ali emphasised that the aviation sector does not operate in a vacuum, pointing out that it is critically integrated into national and international security, technology, artificial intelligence (AI) and even conflicts and wars. He further expressed that aviation is an inherently international enterprise and that Guyana cannot afford to develop its safety standards in isolation. 

He noted that the country must draw on the expertise, experience and technical resources of international stakeholders. “These partnerships will help ensure that our aviation sector develops the capacity and credibility required to support Guyana’s transformation into a more connected, competitive and globally integrated economy,” Ali said.

Additionally, he highlighted that aviation safety begins long before the aircraft even leaves the runway. “It begins in the factory, with the design and manufacture of every component that goes into an aircraft, it continues through rigorous testing, maintenance, assembly, inspection and certification before the aircraft carries its first passenger, it continues on the ground through properly equipped airports, reliable navigation and communication systems, control towers and highly trained air traffic controllers who manage the complex aspect of keeping the aircraft in the sky, it extends to trained pilots and cabin crews, disciplined operating procedures, emergency preparedness, weather monitoring and vigilant regulatory oversight. 

In other words, aviation safety is not a single measure taken before takeoff, it is an entire chain of safeguards,” the president outlined.

Maritime Safety

The review of the country’s aviation laws and regulations is taking place alongside an ongoing review of its maritime laws and regulations. In July, President Ali had announced the establishment of a Safety and Compliance Audit Team to undertake a comprehensive review of the safety and compliance standards governing marine vessels operating in Guyana.

The team comprises Dr Ivor English, former Director-General of the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD); Colonel Julius Skeete of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF); and Captain Joseph Lewis, Marine Officer and Surveyor of Ships. The team will examine compliance with applicable maritime safety requirements and make recommendations to strengthen oversight, improve enforcement and ensure that vessels, operators and regulatory systems meet the highest practicable standards of safety and accountability.