34 hinterland airstrips targeted for rehabilitation

The Government of Guyana is advancing plans to upgrade about 34 airstrips countrywide to improve transport links to remote communities.

The 2026 budget allocated $4 billion to rehabilitate priority airstrips and construct new facilities across Guyana. The work will target heavily used routes serving key population centres, agricultural hubs, and commercial areas.

Director General of the Ministry of Public Utilities and Aviation Alfonso De Armas explained that the improvements will allow larger aircraft to operate in these areas, creating opportunities for more affordable air travel. “Currently, airlines can only fly in smaller aircraft, but once the airstrips are rehabilitated, they can bring in 19-seaters and charge a reduced cost per seat,” De Armas said during a recent episode of the Starting Point podcast.