Guyana has been forced to cancel all night flights to its international airport after the runway lighting system collapsed a week before the South American country hosts a popular arts festival.

Officials are rushing to buy dozens of new runway light bulbs and other equipment to replace outdated power systems and navigational aids, airport CEO Ramesh Ghir said yesterday.

Trinidad-based Caribbean Airlines has been forced to switch its late-night flights to New York and Miami to daybreak, he said.

Other airlines have made similar schedule changes, as thousands of performers from as far as Morocco and Spain are expected to arrive next week for Carifesta, an arts festival that starts August 22.

The complete shutdown occurred Monday night, just days after several flights were cancelled because the backup system failed when severe thunderstorms knocked out power at Cheddi Jagan International Airport.

Ghir said he hopes the problem will be fixed today, and he is seeking help from United States experts to prevent further outages.

The airport has experienced major power failures in recent years.

It was built by the US in the 1940s as a stopover base for troops heading to North Africa during World War II.