The Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority Celebrates 25 Years

NAME OF FEATURE | THE GLEANER | SUNDAY, MAY 2, 2021 16 JAMAICA CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY 25TH ANNIVERSARY F T I T’S PERHAPS difficult to believe that up to 1996, a mere 25 years ago, Jamaica’s civil aviation over- sight in flight safety, operations and investigations were being con- ducted by the British Civil Aviation Authority (BCAA). Thi r t y- four year s af ter Independence, Jamaica still de- pended on British officers, visiting once a month, to provide these ser- vices so that our international obli- gations set out by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) could be satisfied. Some will recall that this situation and the lack of modern civil aviation legislation and regulations landed us in the Category Two designation by the ICAO, thereby limiting our air services arrangements in a tour- ism-dependent economy. It was in that environment that the Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority (JCAA) was born as a new act was passed by Parliament. The Civil Aviation Department (CAD) of the Ministry of Transport gave birth to this new organisation on which the restoration of Jamaica’s civil aviation standards and oversight totally depended. This included the achievement of full Category One status to once again conduct our own oversight. The then minister, Robert Pickersgill, had the foresight to ap- point an independent board under the chairmanship of Mike Vicens, which led that initial work and was successful in achieving Category One. The professional staff recruited, including many outstanding Jamaican aviation professionals, car- ried out the work under Lieutenant Colonel Torrance O’Gilvie. The staff successors have continued in this vein and once again, Jamaica is a respected country in international air service and civil aviation. No assessment of the brilliance of the work over these years could be complete without also recognising the contribution of the then solicitor general, Dr Ken Rattray, himself an expert of international repute in civil aviation law. After 25 years, everythingmay not be perfect, but the JCAA is a mature and extremely competent regula- tory body executing its mandate with professionalism and industry respect. It is the human resources at the JCAA which have contributed immensely to this achievement. I congratulate the authority on this important milestone of 25 years, and extendmy best wishes for many more years of success. God bless you all. MIKAEL PHILLIPS Opposition Spokesman on Housing, Transport andWorks Mature and extremely competent after only 25 years After 25 years, everything may not be perfect, but the JCAA is a mature and extremely competent regulatory body executing its mandate with professionalism and industry respect. It is the human resources at the JCAA which have contributed immensely to this achievement. “ I CONGRATULATE the Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority (JCAA) on 25 years of operation, and for building on the foundation of the Civil Aviation Department (CAD), which was established nearly 75 years ago. Air transportation is undoubtedly a major industry in its own right, and it also facilitates other important industries such as interna- tional tourism, global supply chains, and movement of people, goods and services. As a civil aviation authority, the JCAA is critical in ensuring the adoption of critical interna- tional aviation standards, and providing ef- fective industry safety and security oversight and air navigation services. The JCAA celebrates its 25th year of op- eration during unprecedented times. The global pandemic has significantly impacted the air industry; in 2020, according to the International Air Transport Association, inter- national air passenger traffic declined by ap- proximately 60 per cent, the UNWorldTourism Organisation estimates international tourism receipts declined by approximately US$1.1 trillion; and global merchandise trade vol- ume declined by approximately nine per cent, according to the World Trade Organisation. Jamaica has also experienced the brunt of the impacts of the pandemic, and the role of the JCAA in supporting the revival of the air transportation industry is critical. On your 25th anniversary, I would like to extend my heartiest congratulations to the Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority. As we forge ahead in recoveringstronger, your role is crucial. DR NIGEL CLARKE Minister of Finance and the Public Service Critical in adopting int’l aviation standards I AM pleased to extend sincere congrat- ulations to the management and staff of the Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority, as you proudly celebrate your 25th anniversary. As minister of tourism, I am heartened by your success and thank you for the significant contribution you have made to the devel- opment of Jamaica’s tourism industry. We are proud to have you as a tourism partner and laud you for achieving this important milestone in such fine style. As a body, the Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority forms part of the series of mov- ing parts that work together to help our in- dustry operate seamlessly. The impeccable service you providemakes you one of our key partners, and aids our efforts to rebuild our tourism sector in a strategic way, to ensure that it is more inclusive and surpasses our pre-pandemic record arrivals and earnings. We, therefore, commend you on the critical role you continue to play in this very impor- tant process. We also commit to doing our part in en- suring that once our visitors arrive on our shores, they are able to enjoy memorable and safe experiences at our many world-class attractions and properties, which are COVID- 19 compliant. Once again, I congratulate the entire team at the Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority, led by Nari Williams-Singh, for its outstanding contribution to the development of our all-important tourism sector and wish you continued success in the years to come. EDMUND BARTLETT Minister of Tourism Thank you, JCAA, for your contribution to tourism development 4