SMN News learnt that while the handlers and other airport authorities were busy trying to find a solution, the Airport Director Regina Labega was reportedly off island attending a conference.
SMN News learnt that a barge with fuel arrived late Saturday evening but that could not be confirmed.
Minister of Aviation Affairs Theodore Heyliger said that he was told that the planned strike in Trinidad is cause of the shortage of Aircraft fuel. Industrial actions were to be taken in Trinidad last week where SOL gets its fuel but that action was called off late Friday afternoon. The workers union in Trinidad was planning to go on strike as of Saturday February 18th to demand higher wages.
Heyliger said the Princess Juliana International Airport is faced with fuel shortages due to the bad planning of the former management and board. Heyliger said the airport fuel facilities are way under capacity and this has been known for years. The Minister also stated that Government cannot do anything about the shortage or the expansion of the fuel capacity. "The only person to tell you all about expansion of the fuel capacity is the board of PJIAE. As Government we can only ask questions, we cannot tell the board what to do, that is how corporate governance works," Heyliger said.
