International Civil Aviation Day commemorated in Belize
In case you missed the announcement, today was International Civil Aviation Day. Official activities included an open day at the Marion Jones Sporting Complex under the theme, “Global Air Transport – a Driver of Sustainable Economic, Social and Cultural Development”. News Five’s Janelle Chanona has more.”
Janelle Chanona, Reporting
Skydivers were a big hit during this morning’s official opening ceremonies for International Civil Aviation Day.
The morning’s other crowd pleaser was a simulated medical rescue jointly coordinated by BERT and BATSUB.
According to organizers, the exercise highlights the importance of aviation to safety.
Staff Sergeant Rich Robinson, Chief Pilot, BATSUB
“With that capability in Belize and BATSUB itself it gives us the opportunity to get an injured soldier or indeed a civilian to a hospital quickly and thereby probably saving their lives because the roads here are not great and the medical infrastructure in the country is not brilliant so we can get to pretty much most places in the country and back to Belize City within an hour and a half once we’re called.”
And while Belize’s aviation history has had its fair share of accidents and incidents, officials insist travelling by air is the safest way to go.
Jose Contreras, Director of Civil Aviation
“It is very safe, accidents will continue happening. We cannot stop that. It’s happening all over the world. If we get into the internet we’ll see that’s it’s not only in Belize it’s happening, it’s happening everywhere.”
Janelle Chanona
“Is there anything that we should be doing to step up our safety procedures or anything like that?”
Jose Contreras
“A commitment by all involved in the aviation industry to work together for the safety of operations.”
Jose Coye, Minister of Transport
“We are well aware that transportation a whole – land, air and sea – are not just important but, as I see it, are essential for development, the movement of goods and the movement of passengers. So I would say that the development of our internal civil aviation and external certainly will go a far way in developing Belize. Right now we are trying to move the local airlines beyond Belize.”
But for several weeks, local airlines have been unable to access Guatemalan airports. Minister of Transport Jose Coye today maintained that while a bureaucratic technicality has hampered Tropic and Maya from securing Air Operators Certificates, the ban should be lifted soon.
Jose Coye
“Where we are right now is that the S.I. that was signed will go through in the publication but was held up for review by the Solicitor General’s Office which caused the delay. Now I understand that one of the airlines is ready to move so therefore the legislation should no longer be any delay because it will be published.”
Janelle Chanona
“So how soon can we expect this to be wrapped up?”
Jose Coye
“I would say within the next few days. At least, to whatever extent the subsidiary law itself may have been delaying it, that delay will come to an end because the S.I. just needs to be published and I have signed it already.”
To conclude today’s activities, officials paid tribute to the Belizean pilots who have died on duty.
Reporting for News Five, I am Janelle Chanona
According to aviation officials, once the ban to Flores is lifted, attention will turn to Mexico as local carriers are eager to start regular flights to Cancun.
