Khan lashes UNC over Piarco Airport ‘disaster’

WORKS and Transport Minister Franklyn Khan yesterday dismissed UNC Senator Sadiq Baksh’s claims that Piarco International Airport is “a disaster waiting to happen” because the “disaster has already happened.” The Minister disclosed that he expected to receive a full report from the Civil Aviation Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (CATT) next week, which will outline the steps necessary to prevent a repeat of certain safety and security incidents at Piarco.

Addressing a public meeting in St Augustine on Monday, Baksh said the PNM was to blame for all of the recent collisions between aircraft and ServisAir vehicles and recent security breaches there. Baksh also alleged that “a Minister in the present administration is responsible for new ground handlers” at Piarco and faulty radar equipment at Piarco almost caused a mid-air collision between two aircraft.

“The PNM will be responsible for any accident that may occur in the new Piarco Airport built by the UNC,” he warned. Baksh said he had not received any response from CATT director general Ramesh Lutchmedial to his concerns to date. Khan told Newsday that all of Baksh’s statements were blown out of proportion. The Minister reiterated his concerns, particularly about the collisions between ServisAir vehicles and aircraft at the airport, and said discussions have been held with CATT and BWIA chief executive officer Nelson Tom Yew about these incidents, with the objective of devising a plan to prevent those events from recurring.