MP Christophe Emmanuel
PHILIPSBURG--Independent Member of Parliament (MP) Christophe Emmanuel said on Thursday that he is fed up and angry at the notion that the management of Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA) is reportedly finalising the employment of yet another Dutch national in a management position.
Calling the airport’s management a “national embarrassment,” Emmanuel questioned how Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Brian Mingo and his close circle are allowed to get away with such practices under the nose of government.
Emmanuel said the airport management continues to add salt to the wound by “signalling to our people” that they are not worth his trouble to appoint or train for positions “in their country at their airport.” He said sources had indicated that Mingo is about to hire a Dutch individual currently employed at another government-owned company, TelEm.
He questioned when and where this vacant position had been put out to the public and who had applied for this position. This question will be directed to the prime minister, as the public cannot expect any answers from “the kingdom known as the airport.”
“If the aforementioned person is hired, it would be the third from TelEm, none of which are local. Where is the fairness and transparency here?” Emmanuel asked. “Not only are we sitting here almost seven years later waiting for the airport to be rebuilt, the airport management, and by extension the government, pours salt in our wound and just dumps our people on the side of the road.
“The recovery process was meant to be a beacon of hope, a symbol of resilience and unity in the face of adversity. Yet, it pains me to say that we are far from achieving that vision. So many local people have been targeted and fired by that one man. It is amazing the things that the government lets him get away with at PJIA. It’s embarrassing and shameful what is happening to our people at PJIA. A management filled with Dutch people because apparently that’s the only type Mingo feels comfortable around.”
He said local individuals who have dedicated many years of their lives to the airport have been let go without explanation, replaced by foreign nationals. “This has caused distress and frustrations at PJIA, making us question the motivations behind these decisions. These actions have raised serious concerns about employment discrimination, and they have left many of our people feeling marginalised and under-represented in their own country,” Emmanuel said.
“Perhaps what's equally distressing is the apparent lack of oversight in the airport’s management. It appears that the management is making critical decisions without transparency or accountability. This leaves us with more questions than answers, and it is our responsibility to demand transparency, fairness and accountability in every aspect of our government.”
As if these issues were not enough, the reconstruction and repair of the airport, initially estimated to take a few years, have been delayed for nearly seven years.
“The costs associated with this reconstruction have skyrocketed, now almost three times more than the initial estimates. It's a shocking and unacceptable situation that we find ourselves in, and the community deserves an explanation and airport management have to go. First, they tell us the hall is opening November 1. Now it is moved to mid-November for unknown reasons and they want to celebrate this with a soft opening. Of what exactly? Management and government should be ashamed of itself to actually try to pull that over on the people,” Emmanuel said.
