By Marvin Cato | HGP Nightly News |
LILIENDAAL, GREATER GEORGETOWN — As Guyana’s civil aviation landscape undergoes unprecedented expansion, President Dr. Irfaan Ali is calling on global civil aviation authorities to urgently construct a comprehensive international Artificial Intelligence (AI) safety strategy, warning that the deployment of advanced technology must prioritize equity to prevent developing nations from being left behind.
President Ali delivered the charge during his keynote address at the opening of the Third Global Regional Safety Oversight Organization (RSOO) and Regional Accident Investigation Organization (RAIO) Forum, hosted under the joint auspices of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC).
Addressing international regulators, safety directors, and aerospace executives, the Head of State insisted that the exponential growth in global passenger volumes and automated flight operations requires robust algorithmic safety frameworks, coordinated regional oversight, and heavy investments in skilled technical personnel.
The Call for an AI Expert Group: Preventing Global Safety Disparities
President Ali argued that discussions on contemporary aviation safety are fundamentally incomplete without confronting the disruptive impact, operational advantages, and inherent risks of artificial intelligence:
- Centrality of AI on Global Agendas: The President stressed that multilateral bodies can no longer treat artificial intelligence as an auxiliary technological trend, but rather as the foundational operational environment governing modern flight tracking, automated air traffic management, and predictive maintenance.
- Urgent Pitch for an Expert Body: President Ali proposed the immediate establishment of a specialized international expert group to evaluate AI integration, regulatory compliance, operational adaptability, and system interoperability.
- The Imperative of Technological Equity: Highlighting the risk of a widening technological divide between industrialized aviation powers and emerging economies, Ali cautioned that fragmented AI adoption will compromise international safety baselines.
“We cannot meet today to discuss aviation safety and not have AI, the consequences of AI, and importance of AI on the agenda,” President Ali declared.
“If you don’t have equity in the buildout of AI in the aviation sector, especially for safety, then you will have a disparity.”
Positioning Guyana as a Global Aviation Training Hub
Beyond policy frameworks, President Ali outlined Guyana’s long-term commercial blueprint to transform its strategic geographical position into a recognized international training nexus:
- Specialized Training Center: The administration is actively seeking a major international partner to develop Guyana into a world-class training center covering aviation security, safety management systems, aircraft maintenance engineering, and commercial pilot certification.
- Infrastructural Modernization: The push aligns with ongoing state investments across hinterland airstrips and the modernization of international airports to service surging transatlantic and regional passenger arrivals.
Zero Tolerance for Safety Compromises
Supporting the vision, Minister of Public Utilities and Aviation Deodat Indar reiterated that Guyana’s national strategy is designed to establish Georgetown as a secure, regional aviation hub with improved hemispheric connectivity.
Minister Indar affirmed that full compliance with ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) remains non-negotiable:
“Aviation safety is not something to compromise with. When things go wrong, then all the questions are being asked,” Minister Indar remarked, adding that regulatory authorities must apply lessons learned from past investigations and bilateral safety partnerships.
With international passenger movements through Guyana continuing to set new historical records, government officials and summit delegates concluded that harmonized AI regulations and high-level workforce development remain paramount to keeping the skies safe.
