Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Immigration Brent Symonette said yesterday if immigration officers continued refusing to work shifts, the government would look at changing the way people enter the country.
The minister declined to specify what alternative means were being considered but said the specifics would be announced "when we are ready".
Immigration officers, including those scheduled to work in the evening turned up for work at Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA) at 9 a.m. yesterday, disregarding the shift system in effect, according to Symonette.
"If there is no way to regulate it, then we will take alternative methods of entering persons in the country," he told The Nassau Guardian.
"We will either bring in different officers or we'll change the way the immigration procedure is dealt with, and these are all matters we are actively discussing."
He added, "One thing we can't have is officers who want to threaten the livelihood of the country. This just can not continue to happen."
Symonette said all options would be explored and any action taken would provide for smooth operation at LPIA.
Last Wednesday, officials of the Bahamas Customs Immigration and Allied Workers Union (BCIAWU) advised members to show up for work at 9 a.m. and leave at 5 p.m. following an unresolved dispute between the union and the government concerning overtime pay.
On Saturday, none of the immigration line staff and very few senior officers showed up for work at LPIA causing long lines, extending waiting times and a back up of more than 1,000 passengers in the new U.S. terminal during peak operating hours.
Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham called upon immigration officers to return to work on the implemented shift system or they would "be dealt with by the public service without regard to any other consideration".
"The shift system is in effect," said Ingraham at an emergency press conference in Exuma on Saturday.
"In fact, if many of them would check their terms and conditions of employment they will find that since 1996 nearly all of them had been hired by the public service with a condition in their contract, which said you shall work on [a] shift."
Vice President of BCIAWU Sloane Smith remained tight-lipped yesterday on the union's position. The union called a meeting with members on Sunday night and planned to have another last night, according to Smith. He promised to provide details regarding the union's next move today.
Symonette said, "What we are looking at now is filling in for those issues [but] it should be born in mind that a number of persons since 1996, who [were] hired by immigration, have been hired knowing full well that they are required to do a shift system."
The minister said based on this week's projected number of passengers the traffic flow should be manageable at LPIA.

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