Amanza Walton-Desir, a Member of Parliament for the Forward Guyana Movement (FGM), is urging the government to release the investigation report concerning the tragic helicopter crash involving the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), which resulted in the deaths of five servicemen in December 2023. Walton-Desir asserts that the government is legally bound under Annex 13 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation to disclose the findings of the investigation.
The government’s silence surrounding the final report has raised concerns, particularly following remarks made last week by Minister of Aviation and Public Utilities, Deodat Indar. Indar suggested that the GDF-owned aircraft’s status grants it an exemption from the public release of the findings, citing that the flight was controlled by the GDF.
Walton-Desir contested this viewpoint, stating that the Minister’s interpretation of Article 3 of the Convention is misconstrued. This article specifies that the Convention applies only to civil aircraft and not to state aircraft, including those utilized by military, customs, and police services. However, Walton-Desir emphasized that the helicopter involved in the incident was registered as a civil aircraft, not a military one.
“Guyana does not have military airspace. There is no exemption for military operations. The helicopter was a civilian-registered aircraft and, in fact, falls under the purview of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority,” Walton-Desir clarified.
She further pointed out that the government initiated an investigation under Annex 13, thereby triggering a requirement to release both an interim and a final report on the incident.
“If you operate a civil-registered aircraft in civil-administered airspace, you are obligated to follow the provisions of Annex 13. Now that an investigation has commenced, the findings must be made public,” Walton-Desir asserted.
Being a contracting state of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), Guyana is legally obliged to share its findings, along with safety recommendations, with other member states. Walton-Desir emphasized that transparency is crucial for the families affected by the tragedy, as it aids in understanding the circumstances surrounding the crash and enhances safety measures in aviation.
“If I were a family member of a victim, I would consider legal action to compel the government to release the safety findings of the report,” she stated.
The helicopter crash has drawn significant public attention, with the GDF providing limited information in the immediate aftermath. While the identities of the deceased, including Commander of the 1st Infantry Battalion, Col. Michael Shahoud, and veteran pilot, Lt. Col. Michael Charles, have been confirmed, questions persist regarding the circumstances of the crash, particularly with pilot error suspected to be a contributing factor.
