CJIA Expansion to evict 2,500 persons; Housing Minister says not to worry, “we have a Plan”

Guyana:- Cabinet has developed a ‘Relocation Plan’ which it is still finalizing, but intends to take shortly to the more than 2,500 persons that will be displaced as a result of the expansion of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).
The Guyana Government has already inked the US$138M contract for the massive expansion project and according to Minister of Housing Irfaan Ali, “there is a plan.”
That contract has been inked with China Harbour Engineering Corporation (CHEC) and the Minister earlier this evening featured on a ‘Corruption Discourse,’ where his position was endorsed by his Public Works Cabinet colleague, Robeson Benn.
The sore issue was raised by debate participant Gerhard Ramsaroop, an Executive Member of the Alliance for Change (AFC).
Ramsaroop sought to query from the Government Officials present, the fate of the more than 2,500 persons living around the airport locale, that will be displaced as a result of the expansion project.
Ramsaroop argues that it must be taken into account that the persons scheduled to be removed are “intrinsically” linked to the airport “economically.”
He said that simply removing the persons from the locale will not guarantee improvement for the affected persons.
Chairman of the Private Sector Commission Ronald Webster, who also contributed to the discourse, say persons living around the area cause for a violation of international airport standards.
“What has to be done is to swiftly remove those people,” said Webster.
Ramsaroop, the sole opposition representative at the time, suggested that the AFC was not “anti-development,” but rather wants to ensure that projects such as the airport expansion are properly thought out and prioritized.
He was told by the Housing Minister that the persons living in the area present a clear danger to themselves and as such have to relocate.