Holiday: ‘Air Traffic Control
is safe, according to BT&P’
~ UFA asks for independent ILO investigation ~
AIRPORT--A recent investigation by Bureau Telecommunication and Post (BT&P) has confirmed that there is no potential health risk for the workers at the Air Traffic Control tower or the general public, Princess Juliana International Airport operating company PJIAE president Eugene Holiday told The Daily Herald.
Holiday said the results of the investigation had been “as expected.”
Meanwhile, in a letter signed by United Federation of the Windward Antilles UFA advisor Willy Haize on behalf of the union’s president Lionel Boasman and vice president Aurelio Baly, UFA officially requested Minister of Transport and Telecommunication Maurice Adriaens to have the International Labour Organisation (ILO) conduct a profound investigation into the radiation and the 360-degree visibility issue concerning a staircase that obstructs the vision of the Air Traffic Controllers.
Holiday stressed that PJIAE’s policy was to provide the best possible working conditions for its workers so they could perform at their best for the company and the company in turn could do its best for the workers.
Regarding the BT&P report, Holiday assured that the working conditions were safe and healthy. “When we built the new facility in 2002 and started using it in 2004, part of the handover agreement with the contractor and our company was an inspection against radiation. After we had received positive results, the building was handed over,” Holiday said.
According to Holiday, the company also has to also comply with international standards. The standard procedure is that after the first test, new tests are conducted with a specific frequency to make sure the initial situation has been maintained.
Holiday: “That’s why we requested the BT&P to conduct an investigation. The result was that there is no health risk for the employees or the general public.”
Haize raised concerns on Monday about the safety situation at the Air Traffic Control tower. “It’s a bit unfortunate when these comments are placed in that context. PJIAE is a responsible corporate citizen that tries to maintain the best possible working conditions for its workers,” Holiday said.
However, UFA insists that the safety of the Air Traffic Controllers is at risk because of the deplorable road leading to the facility. In addition, the union mentioned in the letter that a huge building was being constructed that could represent a potential safety concern for the Air Traffic Controllers, people who live in the area and persons who work at the airport.
Finally UFA informed the Minister that it was high time St. Maarten had its own safety inspector, because St. Maarten was still part of the Netherlands Antilles.
