The International Civil Aviation Authority (ICAO), the global body governing international civil aviation activities, partnered with the Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority to convene its Regional Air Transportation Conference, which commenced today at the Montego Bay Convention Centre, Rose Hall, St. James. The Conference will continue over the three-day period, October 7-9, 2014.

Minister of Transport, Works & Housing, the Hon. Dr. Omar Davies, who declared the Conference open, noted his pleasure to be host of the event, and underscored the fact that the nations of the world “share a global sky”.  He highlighted the need for the region and all nations to work together, given the interdependence which we share with aviation pursuits, and the importance of collaborating to ensure an efficient, safe and sustainable air transportation future.

Minister Davies, in his address, also intimated that the future of the world and “the pace at which it will progress, rest substantially on the shoulders of the international air transport industry.” He highlighted, to the regional audience, the importance of air transportation to the Government of Jamaica’s policy objectives of inducing growth and increasing the efficiency and capacity of our air transport sector, as a key growth strategy. This was demonstrated to be important, given the impact of air transport on all sectors, among them tourism, agriculture, health, education and high-tech industries, many of which are critical to the advancement of developing and emerging states.

President of ICAO Council, Dr. Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu of Nigeria, makes Opening Address
The Minister was preceded by President of the ICAO Council, Dr. Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu who gave the Opening Address. The ICAO President outlined some imperative objectives, which the nations of the world, particularly developing and small island states, must continuously pursue in the interest of economic development and sustainable growth in global aviation. He also announced that the Regional Conference is expected to culminate in a Declaration, establishing an agreement between participating states of the region to further key safety, security and efficiency objectives.

The Conference has attracted over 200 participants, including numerous officials and representatives from the regional and international regulatory bodies, civil aviation authorities, the air transport industry, participants from academia, air transport lawyers, consultants, and international air transport organizations.

The Conference will feature moderated discussions and presentations on the role of air transport in global and regional economies; the sustainable development of air transport in the North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACC) Region; challenges to growth; measures for optimizing the synergies between the air transport and tourism sectors; establishing international agreements to foster a liberalized air transport environment and the impact of taxation on the sector’s development.

Members of the Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority have been playing strategic and facilitative roles. The Authority’s Actg. Director General, Mr. Nari Williams Singh, was appointed Conference Chairman and served as the Master of Ceremonies for the Opening Ceremony, while its General Counsel, Ms. Marva Gordon will serve as the moderator for a session on “Regulatory Responses to Consumer Concerns. Several members of the JCAA, particularly those from its Economic Regulation, Flight Safety and Legal Departments, are in attendance at the event.

Updates about the conference may be received by visiting the Website at http://www.icao.int/meetings/airtransportsymposium-jamaica/Pages/default.aspx

The Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority (JCAA) is the statutory organization, which is responsible for regulating Jamaica’s aviation industry and supporting its safe and orderly development.