Guyana's air traffic controllers strike

Thursday, December 30, 2004

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (AFP):  Guyana's air traffic controllers on Wednesday went on strike, forcing cancellation of several international flights, authorities said.

Cabinet Secretary Roger Luncheon blamed the Christmas holiday rush, saying that controllers' request for the five percent pay hike retroactive to January 1, 2004 was agreed late last week "but the information and definitely the pay-out to the eligible categories did not take place."

The strike by the 28 air traffic controllers in this former British colony on the northeast shoulder of South America prompted cancellations by two intra-Caribbean carriers, Caribbean Star and LIAT Airline, the lone international airline, BWIA International, and several domestic flights with international connections.

BWIA spokeswoman Dionne Ligoure said three flights to Guyana were Wednesday cancelled and plans were being put in place to deal with the backlog of 450 passengers.

"We are re-routing our flights away from Guyana. We will deal with the situation when it normalizes. We have a plan in place," Ligoure told AFP.

Luncheon said the air traffic controllers "acted in ignorance" of the government's decision to pay the retroactive salary increase and said he Wednesday planned to meet with the aggrieved workers. 

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