{"id":237460,"date":"2025-05-19T10:31:49","date_gmt":"2025-05-19T14:31:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/?p=237460"},"modified":"2025-05-19T16:45:59","modified_gmt":"2025-05-19T20:45:59","slug":"liat-20-employs-majority-antigua-staff-minister-presents-stats-to-parliament","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/liat-20-employs-majority-antigua-staff-minister-presents-stats-to-parliament\/","title":{"rendered":"LIAT 20 Employs majority Antigua Staff, Minister presents stats to parliament"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Fernandez: LIAT 2020 to Double Local Workforce, Maintain Status as Regional Hub Carrier<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tourism and Aviation Minister Charles Fernandez has revealed that LIAT <\/a><\/strong>2020 currently employs 95 people in Antigua and Barbuda, with the majority being local nationals.<\/p>

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Speaking in Parliament on Monday, Fernandez said the carrier is expected to double its local workforce by the end of the year as additional aircraft are brought into service.<\/p>

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According to the minister, the staff complement includes 80 Antiguans, five Dominicans, two Britons, two Trinidadians, two Vincentians, and one each from Ethiopia, St. Maarten, Montserrat, and Grenada. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He noted that the engineering department is fully staffed by Antiguans, with 12 nationals currently employed in that unit.<\/p>

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Fernandez also disclosed that six Antiguan pilots are in training to operate LIAT\u2019s<\/a><\/strong> new jets, with four nearing completion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo we will have all Antiguan pilots or OECS pilots or Caribbean pilots flying the jets,\u201d he said, adding that only Antiguans are currently being trained.<\/p>

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He said regional employment under LIAT 2020 stands at approximately 300 people and emphasized the potential for additional jobs as more aircraft are added. <\/p>

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“When these extra aircraft are added, more pilots and so on will be employed,” Fernandez said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The minister reiterated the importance of having a homegrown carrier in establishing Antigua and Barbuda as a regional air transport hub. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf we want to say our airport is a hub, we must have our local homegrown carrier,\u201d he said. \u201cThat\u2019s what really makes an airport a hub.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a brief update on tourism figures, Fernandez also announced that March 2025 set a new record for air arrivals, surpassing the previous high set in March 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said the first quarter of 2025 is 7.5% above the same period in 2019, which remains the country\u2019s best-performing tourism year to date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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