Drag
Winair is experiencing what many others have felt for years: the way residence and employment permit requests for foreign workers are handled in St. Maarten makes it very hard to run any business, also because viable local alternatives are simply lacking. The problem for the government-owned airline is compounded by the fact that pilots are in high demand internationally.
In practice it means cancelling flights and losing income despite having enough planes to meet the demand. This, while the financial position of the local airline is already precarious.
Up to now the Central Government owns Winair, despite efforts to transfer it to the Windward Islands, which never took place. That reality by no means should lead to local indifference, because not only do Saba and Statia depend on
Winair for their airlift, but the airline provides a number of direct and indirect jobs in St. Maarten, as well as an important link to the surrounding islands that helps make Princess Juliana International Airport a regional hub.
Besides, if the idea is still for St. Maarten, Statia and Saba to take over the company or even if it were to be privatised, it is in the interest of the future owner(s) to make sure the airline is healthy. Too much bureaucracy when it comes to hiring pilots is not going to help.
Of course, existing rules and regulations must be respected, but considering the urgency involved, the relevant authorities would do well to give the matter some priority.
The Commissioner in charge of Aviation says Winair’s letter has been sent to the Island Labour Department for advice. Hopefully, that department and Immigration officials dealing with residence permits can speed up things so Winair can operate optimally again as soon as possible.
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