The Tribune

THE Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) station at the Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA) is undergoing inspection by technicians from the Department of Environmental Health after concerns were raised recently about the health and safety of air traffic controllers working in the building.

Minister of Transport and Aviation, Glenys Hanna-Martin, and Minister of State Hope Strachan paid a visit to the TRACON facility with DEHS technicians a few days ago and assessments are underway. The minister wants to ensure that air traffic controllers’ health and safety are secured as they spend their last months in the 20-year-old facility.

“We value our air traffic controllers,” said Mrs Hanna-Martin. “We know what they do to the advancement of our country. It is in our interest to repair or remediate pressing issues. So, we are going to get a report and where there has to be remediation we will move immediately to do what has to be done.”

Mrs Hanna-Martin noted that there were some initial complaints from the union with regards to the workers’ conditions and said they were immediately addressed. It was only after those issues were being addressed that other concerns were raised, she said, leading her and Mrs Strachan to pay a personal visit with a trained environmentalist.

Construction for the new APP building has begun, and the target completion date is March, 2015. The new facility will bring an end to the current issues concerning the working conditions of air traffic controllers. The new facility will provide for coverage of 160 square miles from its base at the airport and will provide “wider and better coverage”, according to Keith Major, Chief Operations Officer of Air Traffic Services, who pointed out that the present facility suffers from lack of proper maintenance and water leakage.

“I support my minister and the staff here and this very critical service that is offered to Bahamian public,” said Mrs Strachan. “It is important that we maintain our lines of communication with the staff here and that we always seek to address their issues, because they provide a critical service. I was very happy that we came today to dialogue with them and to see how we can alleviate those concerns.”

Obligations that the Ministry had in the industrial agreement with the union were met, said Mrs Hanna-Martin, and although not currently a perfect scenario, training has re-commenced for staff.

“The response has been encouraging because I think they understand that we are partners with them - we are not at odds when we are on the same team,” she said. “However we can facilitate that is within our power we will do”

“Civil aviation is going through a radical, almost revolutionary, process and it involves a number of things, including technical equipment and restructuring of the department itself; separation of function ... so civil aviation will become a much more refined cutting edge industry.”

Ten people were chosen from over 300 applications for new air traffic controllers, and they are about to be engaged to begin their arduous training.