Minister of Transport Robeson Benn says the finance ministry is considering some of the financial demands made by air traffic controllers at the CJIA and Ogle airports as the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) is unable to meet them. Retroactive overtime payment on salary scale adjustments, a 10 per cent increase in wages and salaries for last year and salary and leave advances are among other grievances. Additionally, workers want management to address the issue of substantive appointments as well as maximum work hours per month for Air Navigation Services staff.
Benn told Stabroek News on Monday that the GCAA cannot meet the financial needs therefore the finance ministry is considering the matter. However, the minister said there is much to be considered as efforts are being made to obtain vital equipment and Cabinet had been tasked with allocating $660M for same. Benn said too an additional $120M would be needed to match the current cost of the equipment. Other internal matters such as the substantive appointment of staff in permanent positions would be addressed by the GCAA and as such Benn declined to comment. In the interim, he said he hopes good sense will prevail.
In a telephone interview Interim Director General Zulficar Mohammed said he met with staff on Monday to address several issues. Mohammed acknowledged that the financial matters were mostly out of his hand however, he said the GCAA was examining the other requests. As regard the substantive appointments, he said a review of personnel was ongoing. Mohammed said currently the Authority does not have a board but as soon as one is constituted certain matters would be thoroughly examined.
The air traffic controllers made it clear that they are strictly working to rule since they have lost faith in negotiations on their grievances. They are protesting the way the GCAA is addressing outstanding issues such as salary increases.
For most of last week several air traffic controllers have either reported sick or submitted medical certificates covering them over a number of days, hampering a department that is already struggling with a staff shortage.
