Guyana will chair the Caribbean Aviation Safety and Security Oversight System (CASSOS) for the first time, marking a milestone in the country’s aviation sector.
Director General of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority, Lt. Col. (Ret’d) Egbert Field, was elected to the position during the organisation’s Board of Directors meeting held this week in Trinidad and Tobago. He will serve a two-year term.
In a statement, the GCAA said Guyana assumes leadership of CASSOS at a “pivotal and transformative juncture” as the organisation expands its capacity to assist member states in strengthening oversight of aviation activities, improving compliance with International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards, and harmonising regional regulations.
Field said Guyana would work collaboratively with member states to address common aviation challenges facing the region.
“Guyana will work with the Member States … as a team to tackle common issues and challenges confronting the region,” he said.
Minister of Public Utilities and Aviation Deodat Indar described the appointment as both an honour and a responsibility for Guyana and the wider Caribbean.
“Guyana’s chairmanship of CASSOS is not merely a national honour, but a shared responsibility to the Caribbean Community, and one that will be exercised with the highest degree of professionalism, collaboration, and dedication to the people of the region,” Indar said.
CASSOS is a regional intergovernmental organisation responsible for providing civil aviation safety and security oversight services to member states. It was established to help smaller Caribbean administrations collectively fulfil their obligations under the Chicago Convention.
Several international aviation institutions attended the meeting and pledged continued support for CASSOS and its regional mandate, the statement added.
