The Ministry of Public Works says verification of the claims of Guyanese who are seeking refunds from the bankrupt low cost airline REDjet is still in train.
Principal Assistant Secretary in the Ministry of Public Works Derrick Jodhan told GINA that around 70% of the claims submitted by Guyanese here have been approved by REDjet. However there is another list that is still to be verified and because of the nature of the bond that will be used to make the payments these have to be completed and then a complete refund made to the passengers.
In a GINA statement today Jodhan said:
“We had roughly 850 requests approximately, but each request would have carried a number of persons… so we are looking at over 2,500 persons that purchased tickets and are seeking refunds, which amount to US$175,500″.
He noted that the bond signed between Government and the airline was US$200,000. “That is the bond the Ministry wanted to levy on,” he added.
The list of names compiled by the Ministry after advertisements earlier this year was sent to REDjet for approval. Jodhan told GINA that REDjet’s response was to return two lists, one approved and one not approved. The list which has been approved amounts to 70% of the list originally sent by the Public Works Ministry. “The problem is that we are still waiting for the unapproved list,” Jodhan said.
“We want to know the reasons for not approving those passengers. If there are genuine reasons, we would have to let the passengers know something. Why their money has not been approved… We were thinking of starting to pay those people who have been approved, but we have to be very careful with the legality of the bond…my understanding with the bank, because we are in constant dialogue with REDjet and the bank, is that it’s a one shot stop…the minute we sign on … I think it’s over”, Jodhan told GINA.
He stressed the need for an agreement with REDjet reiterating that the list “has to be approved by both parties before we can levy, and the bank will accept that. So we are waiting on that list, because we don’t want anybody to be disenfranchised.”
He pointed out also that there is yet a third list, a list which was made up of persons who had begun to apply for refunds before the Ministry intervened. GINA said this list was sent to the company before the Ministry’s list was sent and now requires double checking for duplication. where persons who had applied before directly to the airline, and then applied through the Ministry also. That list is expected to be verified by the Ministry today.
“We want to ensure that no Guyanese passenger has been disenfranchised, and that nobody gets paid twice. We need to verify and to be careful about the one shot payment,” Jodhan told GINA, “so the verification process is what’s taking the time. I know passengers are very much frustrated out there. I am sorry that we have to take so long. But it is beyond the Ministry, it’s more a REDjet issue at this time.”
