GENERAL manager of the Airports Authority of Trinidad and Tobago Hayden Newton on Thursday expressed extreme pride and gratitude in light of the Piarco Airport being ranked as the Caribbean’s best and cleanest airport, by the Skytrax World Airport Awards 2020-2021.
Newton told Newsday on Thursday that it was the culmination of teamwork and innovation that led to the airport being ranked among the best in the region and the world, despite several operational and financial challenges which came with covid19.
“This year was really important because we had issues with respect to covid and the pandemic. The other ranking which is important to us is the cleanest in the Caribbean. This ranking is really important for us,” Newton said.
Skytrax, through their awards, ranks airports worldwide. This year, Piarco Airport, normally ranking among the top ten in the region, was ranked number one in the Caribbean and number three in the Latin America/Caribbean region.
Airport’s Authority deputy general manager Emmanuel Baah said the award had a significant meaning especially during covid19 where the airport endured two shut downs and a severe reduction in revenue – about 95 per cent.
“Whereas some of the other countries had their borders open and their airports operating, the Tocumen Airport (ranked second) they continued operations. While there was a decline in revenue (for them) the relative fall that we experienced was unprecedented.”
“And yet, by working very closely with the ministry to work some miracles through close collaboration with the US embassy, the International Organisation for Migration the European Union, somehow we were able to collaborate even closer with stakeholders and manage the finances in such a way that, at no point there was any drop off in the level of security and cleanliness and the safety of passengers.”
[caption id="attachment_907197" align="alignnone" width="1024"] FILE PHOTO: The main entrance of the Piarco International Airport. [/caption]
Newton added that during the nation’s response to the spread of covid19, while revenues dropped dramatically, Airport Authority staff, more than 780 of them, were neither retrenched, laid off temporarily nor met with a reduction in salary.
It is not all clear skies for the airport, though.
Newton noted a high prevalence in vaccine hesitancy in Tobago despite staff having contracted and died from covid19. He said, however, through their policies of moral suasion, education, information and conversation, they were able to reach a prevalence of 60 per cent of staff taking the jab.
“As far as we understand vaccination is not mandatory. We know the Ministry of Labour is working on a national policy with vaccination and we are awaiting that. Outside of that, we are guided by the general policy that it is not mandatory. But there are things that you can do to encourage employees,” Newton said.
Baah added the authority got assistance in accessibility to vaccines from the Ministry of Works and Transport and was supported in encouraging staff th
