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(Kaieteur News) – President Irfaan Ali on Monday joined residents of Paramakatoi Village and neighbouring communities in Region Eight to officially commission the newly upgraded $800 million airstrip.

The airstrip which measures some 2,500 feet long and 50 feet wide, was upgraded to rigid pavement concrete by International Import & Supplies, who was awarded the contract back in 2024.

Addressing the commissioning ceremony, President Ali stated that the reconstructed and expanded airstrip is a bridge from isolation to opportunity. “A bridge from quiet potential to real progress, this airstrip will set the people of Paramakatoi and the people of Region Eight on a new trajectory,” he said.

Noting the importance of reliable air connectivity for Paramakatoi, the president said it means that more planes could land more often, families could stay connected, medical evacuations are “no longer a gamble with destiny” and fresh goods, construction material, and learning supplies could be taken in and out of the community.

The head of state noted that the new airstrip will open more ecotourism opportunities for the community. “The world is changing; more and more travelers seek experiences and immerse them in nature without destroying it. They want authentic cultural encounters. They want trails, less travel, wildlife unseen, streams untouched and biodiversity never before seen. They want sustainability, not exploitation and Paramaktoi has all of that and more,” he declared.

He continued, “But to turn this potential into real economic benefit for our people, we must first overcome the logistical barriers that have held us back. So, what does this new airstrip mean from the economic potential of this area.  It means larger aircraft can bring more visitors, more regularly. You can land at any time. It means store operators can plan year-round itineraries. It means local entrepreneurs can build eco lodges, craft markets, cultural centers, all anchored in a dependable transportation link. It means jobs, it means income. It means prosperity rooted in the preservation of nature, not its depletion.”

The president added that the upgraded airstrip makes possible greater inclusion and improved goods and services and better cost. He disclosed that with improved air access, the airstrip therefore ensures that the people of Paramakatoi are no longer punished by geography, but empowered by connectivity.

Emphasising on the cost spent to build and maintain an airstrip in such a remote place, he stated that his government invested because “every community, no matter how remote, deserve access to the lifeblood of connectivity and commerce. We invest because no community should be left behind in our national journey.”

He added that this airstrip is part of a broader vision that fits within a strategic plan to “transform Guyana’s hinterland into vibrant contributors to our national story, without sacrificing the very qualities that make the hinterland so unique.”

During his address, the president noted the hefty cost persons pay to travel to and from the community. He said air services would complain of the state of the airstrip.

Now with an improved runway, the president added, “Today you have a brand-new airstrip. Let us see what you will now say. And we are giving them enough time, to adjust their cost because we will not just sit by, and not allow the benefit of these cost savings to be transferred to the people… and we will know which one of the services will announce the reduction of the cost to come to Paramakatoi.”

Speaking also, was Minister of Public Utilities and Aviation, Deodat Indar who noted that the airstrip has an economic life span of 20 years once properly maintained.

“A few months ago, if you could have fly with a plane here the laterite surface would have given you a not so smooth landing. In fact, a better word a rough landing, that is what we have been accustom to decades before, but now you have a concrete surface airstrip,” he said in his remarks.

According to the minister, works are underway to upgrade aerodromes across regions in the country and in Region Eight alone, they plan to upgrade eight aerodrome in communities like, Mahdia, Monkey Mountain, Kato, Orinduik and Chenapou.

Addressing the gathering also were Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill and Minister of Amerindian Affairs, and Sarah Browne, who noted that the new airstrip will bring great benefits, reduce cost of living, expand the tourism potential of the village and ensure speeder delivery of goods and services.

Minister Edghill noted that the runway now has the capability through the use of solar lights to guide flights in at nights.

Minister Browne noted that this investment which will directly improve the lives of over 1,324 residents of Paramakatoi Village, and by extension all the residents of sub district one Region Eight, represents connection opportunities, and that Amerindian people and their villages are not left behind simply because of geography or distance.