Cheddi Jagan International Airport investigates delay of deceased man

Management at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) has launched an investigation following allegations that the body of Omadatt Lall was left exposed on the airport tarmac for approximately four hours. Mr. Lall arrived in Guyana on Caribbean Airlines flight BW527 at approximately 10:50 a.m. last Wednesday.

According to relatives, the remains were left in the sun while a hearse waited for collection. The family reported that clearance procedures were delayed until passengers and cargo from three other arriving flights had been processed. Even after obtaining clearance through an acquaintance at Customs, the family faced further delays because they could not locate a forklift operator to transfer the body from the tarmac to the hearse.

CJIA currently lacks a dedicated, climate-controlled storage facility for human remains. While airport policy mandates that stakeholders and handling agencies prioritize the immediate clearance and transfer of human remains, officials stated they were unaware of the incident until it was reported by the media. The investigation will require Caribbean Airlines and the ground-handling agency to account for the delay.