Airport:--- Immigration officers working at the Princess Juliana International Airport started an unexpected go-slow on Saturday when several flights touched down on St. Maarten. With the go-slow some 4000 passengers landed on St. Maarten and had to wait for hours in line before they could have cleared immigration.
According to information SMN News gathered thus far the immigration officers as well as officers of KPSM are up in arms because they have a number of issues that have been pending for years, one being an increase salaries and their scales, and the most pressing one at this time is the tax reduction they are supposed to get in the month of December.
Members of the union said that law enforcement officers pay extra tax all year in order to pay less taxes in December but this year government decided that they could not get that reduction even though they paid extra throughout the year due to the current financial crisis the country is facing.
SMN News contacted acting Minister of Justice Richard Gibson Sr. on Saturday for further information on the go- slow at PJIAE. Minister Gibson said he was trying to gather information as to why the immigration officers chose to start a go-slow and why no one informed him of the situation prior to them taking actions.
The unions representing both police and immigration officers have been voicing their concerns ever since red, white and blue coalition government took office.
When asked about the concerns the unions have Minister Gibson said met with two groups of union representatives who requested a meeting with him about two weeks ago. The acting Minister of Justice said that during both meetings the union representatives outlined a range of issues that were affecting their members. He said that the meetings he held with both groups ended amicably since he explained to the unions the financial status of the country. Minister Gibson further explained that based on the issues affecting the officers of the law he gathered that they had problems that have been existing for a number of years now.
SMN News will bring you more information on the go-slow at PJIAE.
