Guyana and Panama to eliminate re-screening of passengers- GCAA

Following a “comprehensive” assessment, Guyana and Panama have agreed to eliminate the requirement of re-screening of persons travelling between the two countries.

This announcement was made by the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority in a statement Monday. A delegation from Panama Aviation Authority conducted the aviation security assessment at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport.

During the assessment, GCAA said various critical areas including passenger and carry-on baggage screening, access control measures for individuals and vehicles, hold baggage screening, aircraft security, onboard security, and security measures at the terminal and boarding gates were examined.

The decision come years after Panama has advocated for the removal of the restriction in order to ease passengers travel.

“In this contemporary era, the ease of travel and the hassle-free experience for passengers are now best facilitated through mechanisms such as the One Stop Security (OSS) arrangement, for which Panama has considered and commenced a path of implementation at their Tocumen International Airport,” GCAA said in the statement.

According to the statement, the Panamanian delegation has presented a preliminary report to the GCAA, concluding that the security measures in place are effective and equivalent to those mandated by the Panama Civil Aviation Authority and implemented at Tocumen International Airport in Panama.

“This favourable assessment signifies a significant step towards establishing a One Stop Security (OSS) arrangement between the two countries.

“The successful implementation of OSS will greatly enhance the travel experience for passengers flying between Guyana and Panama, particularly on COPA Airlines flights, by eliminating the need for redundant security checks and streamlining the overall process,” the statement said.

The agreement, GCAA said is expected to be finalised with the submission of a comprehensive assessment report to Guyana, accompanied by a ‘Letter of Commitment’ acknowledging Guyana’s participation in the OSS arrangement and its obligation to maintain the highest standards of aviation security measures.