Suspended airport guard files trade dispute

TRANSPORT Minister Rohan Sinanan says the airport security officer who was suspended after an incident involving two government ministers has filed a trade dispute with the Labour Ministry.

He was responding to a question in the Senate yesterday from Opposition Senator Wade Mark on the disciplinary process after reports that the security officer at Piarco Airport was recently suspended without pay over an allegation that he was discourteous to two ministers.

Sinanan told the Senate yesterday the affected officer was allowed the opportunity to be heard before any decision was made. He said the matter has been referred as a trade dispute to the Labour Ministry and he was therefore unable to provide specific procedural details.

Mark asked if the officer was still suspended and Sinanan replied he would have to get the information.

The incident occurred on September 20 last year. Those involved were a guardidentified as Kelvon Alexander, Foreign Affairs Minister Dennis Moses and Planning Minister Camille Robinson-Regis.

Alexander was suspended last December and took his concerns to the Estate Police Association, of which he is a member. An investigation by the association found he committed no offence.