A massive sick-out by Civil Servants in the Turks and Caicos Islands on Thursday has severely affected the operations of six major airlines and the world’s largest private jet company that serve this island-nation which is a magnet for mainly high-end tourists from all around the globe.
Inbound and outbound flights by American Airlines, Delta, US Airways, Continental, Air Canada and Jet Blue have had to be cancelled, as well as private jets from Net Jets, the largest fractional ownership jet company in the world. These airlines operate from Miami, New York, New Jersey, Boston, Atlanta, Dallas and other major gateways.
Also affected were Bahamas Air which operates from Nassau and Air Turks and Caicos which operates flights among the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Early Thursday, the Turks and Caicos Islands Airports Authority suspended operations into and out of its airports country-wide due to the absence of adequate coverage from the Royal Turks and Caicos Fire Service.
“We are working assiduously to resume operations, and apologize for any inconvenience caused,” the release said. Up to the time of writing this report, normal service had not been restored.
By law, if there is no fire-fighting coverage at the airport, no passenger flights are allowed to land or take-off.
The sick-out was sparked by the Interim Government’s refusal to meet a March 18th deadline, after being served with one-week notice to respond to demands for the reinstatement of full salary to all Civil Servants as it was prior to April 2010, when it was cut by ten percent.
“This sick-out has paralyzed the aviation and tourism industry,” said a high-level Government source who requested anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the press. “I understand that the sick-out is planned for two days, which means that it will stretch into Friday, but if it continues into Saturday it will be quite serious because that’s when most of the flights and tourists come in.”
Several tourists who were expecting to leave on morning and mid-day flights had to return to their hotels.
Information reachingThe SUN indicates that hundreds of Government workers in the Middle Caicos, South Caicos, North Caicos, Providenciales, Salt Cay and the island-capital of Grand Turk, called in sick.
Teachers were also part of the industrial action, causing schools in the islands to close early. Hospitals remained open, and it was business as usual in the private sector.
Source:TCISUN
