The Saint Lucia Air and Sea Ports Authority (SLASPA) has announced the resumption of normal operations across its ports, following a disruptive two-day halt caused by what has been described as a coordinated sick out by employees.
The alleged industrial action, which took place on Thursday and Friday, brought operations at the seaport to a virtual standstill. This led to significant delays in cargo handling and forced authorities to implement emergency strategies to continue serving the public.
A source close to the matter told Saint Lucia Daily Post that the sick out was part of a growing dispute between port workers and SLASPA management over unresolved labor issues. While specific details of the disagreement remain undisclosed, the disruption underscored longstanding tensions between staff and administration.
In a public notice issued on Monday, SLASPA confirmed that operations had resumed. “The Saint Lucia Air and Sea Ports Authority wishes to inform the general public and our valued stakeholders that normal operations have resumed,” the notice stated. “We thank the public for its patience and understanding during the temporary disruption.”
The authority did not directly address the cause of the disruption in its statement, nor did it confirm whether the situation with employees had been resolved. However, industry observers have raised concerns about the potential for further disruptions if underlying issues are not addressed.
