CJIA’s ‘Red Caps’ claim livelihood under threat

Apr 03, 2019 News

The ‘Red Cap’ porters at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) are up in arms over proposed new arrangements to conduct their business at the Arrivals area.

The ‘Red Caps’ and GRA officials operating at the CJIA arrivals area, outside of Customs.

According to representatives of the porters, they are now being asked to wait outside, in the lobby area, instead of where the passengers would emerge from Customs.
The new arrangements would come at a time when the management of the airport at Timehri, East Bank Demerara, takes control of the US$150M renovated facilities.
The project was supposed to see a bigger terminal to house the departure and arrival areas but instead a much smaller building was constructed to house only the arrival area.
That arrival area appears to be now too small to accommodate the ‘Red Caps’.
“We have 48 ‘Red Caps’ working at the airport. We pay the Airport Authority to operate from inside of the Custom area to the car park. Now the Airport Authority has ordered that we operate from outside of the Custom area.”
According to the porters, if they are forced to operate outside, it will be the end of the ‘Red Caps’.
“For donkey years, we have been operating outside the Customs area in the old terminal. This is a service where passengers who are tired after hours of travel and clearance, come outside hoping for quick service with their luggage. You are asking them to walk a distance. This is not service. This is stupidity,” the spokesman said yesterday.
The ‘Red Caps’ met GRA Commissioner General, Godfrey Statia, on Sunday evening at the airport.
“He informed us that he does not have no issue for the ‘Red Caps’ to operate from inside of the Custom area but what he said to the Airport Authority is that the Custom Area is too small.”
According to another porter, there will be hardships if they are forced outside.
“With such order, the Red Caps facing serious economic constraints and yet the Airport Authority wants their money full. We are calling on all the media fraternity for your kind intervention into looking at this issue before we all lose our jobs.”
The Airport Authority plans to host a general meeting today at 10hrs with the ‘Red Caps’.

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