By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMAS Air Traffic Controllers Union President Hinsey McKenzie yesterday implored Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis to follow through on promises he made while in opposition, and see to it that members of his union are paid what they are owed.

In a press statement on Monday, Mr McKenzie insisted many of the issues that existed under the Christie administration are unresolved, despite Dr Minnis’ assurance to have them addressed once coming to office.

Another issue laid out by Mr McKenzie is the government’s handling of the transition of air traffic services from the Department of Civil Aviation to the Bahamas Air Navigation Services Division (BANSD).

The union said BATCU officials and members were “completely dissatisfied” by the pace of the move and the lack of clarification surrounding it.

“The​ ​transition​ ​period​ ​will​ ​come​ ​to​ ​an​ ​end​ ​on​ ​Monday,​ ​October 2,​ ​2017,” the union’s statement noted. “However,​ ​there​ ​are​ ​numerous​ ​management​ ​positions​ ​that​ ​have not​ ​been​ ​advertised​ ​and​ ​controllers​ ​have​ ​not​ ​been​ ​given,​ ​up​ ​to​ ​this​ ​point, an​ ​offer​ ​to​ ​remain​ ​in​ ​the​ ​authority.”

It continued: “Those​ ​that​ ​have​ ​made​ ​written​ ​request​s ​to stay​ ​in​ ​the​ ​public​ ​service​ ​have​ ​not​ ​received​ ​a​ ​response​ ​or​ ​any​ ​notification of​ ​transfer.​ ​

“Nobody​ ​knows​ ​what​ ​is​ ​going​ ​to​ ​happen​ ​because​ ​nobody​ ​is ready​ ​as​ ​the​ ​chairman​ ​of​ ​the​ ​board​, Mrs (Wendy) ​Craigg​ ​had​ ​admitted.

“There​ ​seems​ ​to​ ​be​ ​no​ ​vision​ ​for​ ​the​ ​future​ ​and​ ​the​ ​same​ ​unproductive managers​ ​that​ ​have​ ​kept​ ​the Civil​ ​Aviation​ ​Department​ ​stagnant​ ​for​ ​two decades​ ​have​ ​been​ ​returned​ ​to​ ​manage​ BANSD to​ ​which​ ​ATC​ ​has​ ​been​ ​deployed.​ ​The​ ​whole process​ ​is​ ​lacking​ ​transparency.​“

The statement claimed controllers have been left in limbo ​for​ ​nearly ​a year​ ​with​ ​little​ ​to​ ​no​ ​information​ ​about​ ​BANSD, its​ ​organisational​ ​chart,​ ​the process​ ​for​ ​training​ ​to​ ​fill​ ​pertinent​ ​positions,​ ​salary​ ​and assessment​.

BATCU also claimed attempts​ ​for​ ​meetings​ ​with​ ​management​ ​to​ ​commence​ ​contract negotiations​ ​have​ ​been​ ​futile.

“It​ ​is​ ​very​ ​interesting​ ​that​ ​the​ ​majority​ ​of​ ​middle​ ​managers​ ​have​ ​an​ ​average of​ ​almost​ ​40 years​ ​in​ ​the​ ​service​ ​and​ ​don’t​ ​know​ ​what​ ​the​ ​future​ ​holds​ ​for them​ ​as​ ​only​ ​two​ ​positions​ ​had​ ​been​ ​made​ ​available​ ​for​ ​them.​ ​Additionally, BANSD​ ​has​ ​failed​ ​to​ ​provide​ ​training​ ​to​ ​employees​ ​for​ ​any​ ​of​ ​the​ ​positions.

“We​ ​have​ ​controllers​ ​that​ ​are​ ​still​ ​waiting​ ​for​ ​promotions.​ ​They​ ​have completed​ ​the​ ​requisite​ ​training​ ​and​ ​are​ ​working​ ​diligently​ ​and​ ​taking​ ​on responsibilities​ ​for​ ​which​ ​they​ ​are​ ​not​ ​being​ ​paid.​ ​Exuma​ ​officers​ ​who​ ​stay behind​ ​after​ ​their​ ​regular​ ​shift​ ​to​ ​accommodate​ ​late​ ​scheduled​ ​and​ ​medivac flights​ ​from​ ​the​ ​island​ ​have​ ​still​ ​not​ ​been​ ​paid​ ​their​ ​overtime.

“Majority​ ​of​ ​the​ ​approach​ ​controllers​ ​are​ ​eligible​ ​for​ ​retirement,​ ​we​ ​are already​ ​understaffed​ ​by​ ​about​ ​fifty​ ​per cent.​ ​Air​ ​Traffic​ ​Control​ ​in​ ​the​ ​next two​ ​years​ ​will​ ​be​ ​in​ ​a​ ​crisis​ ​if​ ​the​ ​training​ ​and​ ​the​ ​hiring​ ​of​ ​new​ ​employees are​ ​not​ ​addressed​ ​immediately.​ ​

“The​ ​government​ ​is​ ​talking​ ​about​ ​taking over​ ​the​ ​airspace​ ​but​ ​they​ ​have​ ​not​ ​hired​ ​anyone​ ​in​ ​the​ ​past​ ​two​ ​years.​ ​It​ ​is estimated​ ​that​ ​we​ ​would​ ​need​ ​about​ ​150​ ​more​ ​air​ ​traffic​ ​controllers​ ​for​ ​this operation.​ ​Training​ ​is​ ​ridiculous​ ​at​ ​this​ ​time,​ ​I​ ​do​ ​not​ ​see​ ​how​ ​they​ ​are going​ ​to​ ​accomplish​ ​training​ ​that​ ​number ​of​ ​people​ ​in​ ​the​ ​next​ ​few​ ​years.

“We​ ​have​ ​security​ ​issues​ ​that​ ​are​ ​not​ ​being​ ​addressed​ ​and​ ​the​ ​balance​ ​of the​ ​outstanding​ ​holiday​ ​funds​ ​owed​ ​to​ ​us.​ ​These​ ​issues​ ​need​ ​to​ ​be​ ​settled prior​ ​to​ ​the​ ​end​ ​of​ ​the​ ​transition​ ​period.​“

BATCU also referred to comments made by Dr Minnis in April, a month before the general election, after air traffic controllers engaged in a “sick out” at LPIA.

“Today​ ​we​ ​were​ ​given​ ​another​ ​instance​ ​of​ ​failed​ ​PLP​ ​leadership,” Dr Minnis said at the time.​ “​This​ ​trend is​ ​unacceptable.​ ​We’ve​ ​learned​ ​that​ ​Air​ ​Traffic​ ​Control​ ​has​ ​had​ ​a​ ​work slowdown,​ ​forcing​ ​40​ ​planes​ ​to​ ​a​ ​one​ ​hour​ ​ground​ ​hold.​ ​This​ ​is​ ​a​ ​direct result​ ​of​ ​the​ ​PLP​ ​government’s​ ​failure​ ​to​ ​ensure​ ​that​ ​government employees​ ​are​ ​paid​ ​what​ ​they​ ​are​ ​owed,​ ​when​ ​they​ ​are​ ​owed​ ​it.​ ​The​ ​lack​ ​of leadership​ ​is​ ​highlighted​ ​every​ ​day.​ ​

“To​ ​have​ ​people​ ​working​ ​for​ ​you​ ​and then​ ​not​ ​to​ ​pay​ ​them​ ​is​ ​simply​ ​wrong.​ ​It​ ​follows​ ​the​ ​PLP’s​ ​trending​ ​neglect and​ ​lack​ ​of​ ​care​ ​for​ ​the​ ​constituents​ ​they​ ​indebted​ ​to​ ​help.​ ​The​ ​members​ ​of the​ ​government​ ​get​ ​paid​ ​on​ ​time.​ ​Why​ ​do​ ​they​ ​not​ ​treat​ ​all​ ​Bahamians​ ​with the​ ​same​ ​integrity? Under​ ​the​ ​leadership​ ​of​ ​the​ ​FNM​ ​people​ ​will​ ​be​ ​paid what​ ​they​ ​are​ ​owed.​ ​No​ ​question​ ​asked,​ ​it​ ​doesn’t​ ​matter​ ​if​ ​you​ ​are​ ​a customs​ ​employee,​ ​an​ ​immigration​ ​employee,​ ​an​ ​air​ ​traffic​ ​controller​ ​or​ ​any other​ ​government​ ​employee.​ ​We​ ​will​ ​pay​ ​for​ ​the​ ​service​ ​provided,” Dr Minnis said.

BATCU said it is still waiting on Dr Minnis to “make good on these words.”

The April “sick-out” came amid ongoing labour disputes.

At the time, Director of Labour Robert Farquharson told Tribune Business that a “lengthy” meeting between union representatives and the Department of Civil Aviation was held to “put to rest” many of the issues.

He said 19 outstanding issues were addressed, and added: “I can tell you that we addressed all of the long-standing issues. I am extremely confident that as a result of the meeting all industrial issues with the airport traffic controllers have been resolved.”