It was a bright and joyous morning when the Caribbean Airlines aircraft CAL 737/800 branded with Guyana’s 50th anniversary logo arrived at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA). The aircraft was greeted with loud cheers from the students of Timehri Primary School and senior officials of the government and CAL. Also in attendance were Her Excellency, Mrs. Sandra Granger and Mrs. Sita Nagamootoo.
In her remarks, the First Lady, Mrs. Sandra Granger noted that she was pleased to be a part of this occasion. “I know that this aircraft will be seen at international airports and around the Caribbean,” she said. The First Lady recalled that last year Guyana celebrated 100 years of aviation, and prior to that Caribbean Airlines celebrated it centenary of service in the region. In this regard, she expressed appreciation to CAL for delivering ‘faithful service’ to Guyanese.
She also thanked Caribbean Airlines for partnering with Guyana in the promotion of the 50th anniversary celebrations. The First Lady added that many Guyanese have travelled throughout the Caribbean, and even further, with CAL dating back to when the airline was called BWIA.
“I hope that our young people, upon whose shoulders the mantle of development will fall, will seize the opportunities and be challenged by working in the airline industry and in other industries as we in this dear land celebrate our 50th anniversary and move onward and upwards to our own centenary,” the First Lady stated.
She emphasized the hope that all Guyanese will celebrate our oneness with unity, harmony and purpose.
In her remarks, the Minister within the Ministry of Education, Nicolette Henry noted that the logo is a demonstration of the remarkable spirit of the Guyanese people and the rest of the world.
The Minister made recalled a statement made by His Excellence, President David Granger at the National Assembly yesterday where he said that “we, the Guyanese people, this year, celebrate the Independence we gained fifty years ago on 26th May 1966. We were inspired then by our national motto – ‘One People, One Nation, One Destiny’. We are encouraged now by our efforts to make that motto a reality. We renew our pledge to make our cherished homeland a place of unity, security and prosperity.”
Minister Henry added that as we celebrate our 50th anniversary of Independence with determination we can improve our citizens’ quality of life, to transform our economy and to pursue a path to progress.
“This year of renaissance is not only an opportunity of reflection and celebration but also an opportunity to inspire this nation, particularly our young people, to dream bigger and reach higher for the next 50 years and beyond,” Minister Henry emphasized.
CAL’s Chairman, Phillip Marshall, noted that the theme ‘Coming Home 2016’ is quite fitting not just for those Guyanese that will travel to Guyana but for those who will be travelling to other destinations throughout the year. He added that Caribbean Airlines has the privilege of being the flag carrier for Guyana, this is a beneficial relationship with Guyanese and the diaspora.
While outlining the number of flights and people that use the airline, Marshall emphasized that CAL’s Guyana station is one of the top performers with an outstanding on-time performance record and a reputation for efficient aircraft turnaround time. He added that CAL’s team which includes Guyanese nationals who work diligently towards the consistent delivery of quality service at the ticket office in Georgetown and at CJIA.
“Guyana is a key and growing destination for CAL and we do not take lightly the contribution and loyalty of our valued Guyanese customers,” he said.