Hon. Deodat Indar, M.P. Response to Annette Ferguson's Letter to the Editor

Dear Editor,

I am writing in response to a letter published on November 13, 2025, by Annette Ferguson, concerning Guyana’s recent aviation achievements, specifically the impressive score of 80.12% in the 2025 ICAO Aviation Security Audit. I kindly request the publication of my response.

Ferguson’s letter suggested that the APNU-AFC Government deserves credit for this achievement. However, it is crucial to clarify that this significant improvement—from a score of 62.90% in 2016 to the current score—reflects the transformative efforts of the PPP/C administration.

I find it concerning that Ferguson seems to misunderstand the distinction between aviation safety and aviation security, as her remarks focused solely on safety compliance, while the GCAA press release highlighted achievements specifically in aviation security.

Moreover, she failed to acknowledge the 2016 aviation security audit results under the APNU-AFC Coalition Government—she is welcome to take credit for those results, yet she seeks acknowledgment for the 80% score without recognizing who spearheaded the improvements. This score is a testament to the outstanding work done by the current administration.

Ferguson’s claim that it is misleading for the PPP/C administration to claim exclusive credit for recent progress is, at best, dishonest. In addition, her unrelated references to various aviation security projects confuse service delivery with regulatory oversight.

It seems Ferguson also misunderstands the types of audits conducted by the ICAO, having equated them with the outcomes achieved under previous administrations. For context, the ICAO audits from 2016 and 2020, which scored 64.4% and 76.54% respectively, were conducted to follow up on deficiencies identified in earlier assessments.

As Minister, I have overseen preparations for the ICAO Safety Audit of 2024 and ensured that Guyana understands the audit’s scope. For clarity, ICAO audits are comprehensive assessments of a country’s aviation safety oversight, whereas ICAO Coordinated Validation Missions (ICVMs) are follow-ups to verify the correction of previously identified deficiencies.

I also need to address Ferguson’s claim regarding an award presented to Guyana. She suggested it was received at ICAO’s 75th Anniversary Regional Safety Oversight Awards in Toronto. In reality, this award stemmed from the 2017 ICAO World Aviation Forum in Abuja, Nigeria—a detail properly recognized by Guyana at that time.

In conclusion, the PPP/C administration’s investments in aviation from 2021 to 2025 far outweigh those under the APNU-AFC Coalition during 2015-2020, and the positive outcomes with the GCAA and the broader aviation sector directly correlate with these investments. The evidence is clear, yet Ferguson and her team seem to be misinformed on the facts.

Yours sincerely,

Hon. Deodat Indar, M.P.
Minister of Public Utilities and Aviation