Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer 

#TurksandCaicos#PDM, March 4th, 2024 – Disheartening is how the People’s Democratic Movement is describing the sickout of air traffic controllers on March 1,2024.

“It is disheartening to know that our workers’ job dissatisfactions, in particular the Air Traffic controllers, have reached a point where they saw that it was in their best interest to take this stance,” said Edwin Astwood, Opposition Leader, on Friday.

As the PDM monitored the unfolding situation at the airport which saw industrial action slowing down travel Astwood said;

“The PDM believes in being proactive rather than reactive, and that discussions to ensure the workers’ satisfaction at the Howard Hamilton International Airport, should be ongoing, and discrepancies and complaints should be addressed at their earliest time to minimize dissatisfaction.”

The opposition leader maintained that Delays at the airport are not good for anyone including:

• People who have to travel to and from family islands;
• Persons traveling to seek medical attention,
• Visitors leaving to return home;
• Visitors who have chosen the Turks & Caicos Islands and have the choice to cancel and go to another destination to go on vacation;
• Taxi/tour operators and others working in the tourism industry;
• and not good for the image of the country.

Astwood is now calling for a change to the local labour laws which direct how employers and employees operate.

“This also underscores the critical need to engage the International Labor Organization (ILO) to conduct a thorough assessment of our outdated labor laws. This review must encompass both the public and private sectors to safeguard against any exploitation, mistreatment, or under-compensating of workers in our country,” he said.

Astwood is promising that the People’s Democratic Movement will formally engage the ILO to conduct a comprehensive review of our labor laws within the first 30-60 days of assuming Office.

“By adopting a comprehensive approach that considers the needs of both the workers and the businesses, the Peoples’ Democratic Movement believes that our country can create a balanced regulatory framework that supports economic growth, protects workers’ rights, and fosters a fair and sustainable work environment for all stakeholders,” Astwood promised.