Antigua PM tells Union “take me to court” over LIAT severance

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“Take me to court.”

That is what Antigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister Gaston Browne has told the union representing former LIAT workers in the neighboring island

Browne told the Antigua and Barbuda Workers Union that he wants nothing to do with them where discussing 100% severance to ex-LIAT workers is concerned

He said the ABWU is unreasonable to ask Antigua to pay 100% when it only holds a mere 34 percent of shares in LIAT 1974 ltd.

But in a response to the prime minister, the general secretary of the Antigua and Barbuda Workers Union said Browne continues to “bully and disgrace the unions and the workers into accepting, without any negotiation, an offer that is anything but compassionate”

“The workers, by contrast, have been extraordinarily flexible with the shareholder governments on this matter. Do I need to remind you that it was the said workers who agreed in principle to your suggestion of a “haircut” on their entitlements in order to save the airline? But you, Mr. Gaston Browne, have since taken a unilateral approach as to how this settlement of terminal benefits is configured,” Massiah said

Browne has offered a 50% compassionate payment offer in cash and bonds but Massiah said the compassionate offer should not and indeed does not represent the final and full claim of severance payments and other legitimate and legally-entitled terminal benefits of the employees.

“It is considered an interim partial payment of the employee’s entitlements,” he said,

Massiah said, as LIAT employees continue to suffer and cry out for the government of Antigua and Barbuda, as a lead shareholder of LIAT, to live up to its moral and legal obligations, the ABWU remains relentless in its pursuit of justice and meaningful dialogue on the matter of the employee’s terminal benefits.

Last week, Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley said her government will be dishing out $75,000 in cash to former LIAT workers.

Mottley made the statement while she was wrapping up the debate on the 2023 Financial Statement and Budgetary Proposals in the House of Assembly

She said the latest decision is in keeping with a commitment from her government to honor about 89 former LIAT workers, paying almost $10 million in cash and bonds in severance.

Prior to that undertaking, St Lucia’s Prime Minister Phillip Jean Pierre also paid off the former LIAT workers in Castries.- DNO

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15 COMMENTS

  1. The Prime Minister was specifically speaking to the ABWU and not to the unions in the neighboring islands. But as usual this website has to spin it differently. Good luck to you guys in spinning the truth at any and every occasion you get. He will be in office for five more years. Plenty more to come.

    • Whilst other PMs are guaranteeing their citizens 100% OF THEIR SEVERANCE, this scoundrel PM threatens the unions and their members with court action over their legally entitled monies. He talks and PROMISES the recently landed Africans the government’s moral obligation to them while he withholds, threatens and prolongs the suffering of his own citizens. What did Antiguans do to him to earn this onslaught???

      • Whilst other PM’s taking only care of their nationals, our PM is trying to take care of the entire LIAT staff and not only Antiguans. Who is being selfish here? Is that what the Spirit of the Treaty of Shagaramas was all about? Every Island for themselves and Gaston for them ALL. Give me a break you Gaston Haters

      • @Ras Iman
        The shareholder governments are not responsible for liat debts unless the shareholders guaranteed the debts. Liat is responsible for its own debts as a corporation and liat is bankrupt.
        I do however think that Gaston should settle the amounts owed to former Antiguan employees only like Barbados has done for their employees

    • Who are you talking about @ Former ABLP?

      Is it Gaston ‘Litigious’ Browne or his acolyte From The Sideline?

      I can understand, because Gaston Browne continues to harm and undermine Antigua & Barbuda; and his worshippers keep “Browneism & Birdism” going strong, strong … strong!

      • @ Brixtonian. I’m talking about de Gaston Browne, can’t stand him. He has too much hate in his heart. He needs Jesus. …when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.

  3. simple. If the Stell Frame “UNION” think that they are so right, then take the government to COURT. Get it over and down with and stop being a tinkling cymbal

  4. In the photo above. Is that man to the left bowing down to that man with the Hitler like Stache? The Jim Jones’ Koooool Aid was very strong.The ABLP Kooool Aid is much stronger. You may drink it and become brained dead or sanitized.Like drinking Bleach.

  5. There is no doubt that all the former LIAT workers are due their severance payment and 100 percent of it. It is the responsibility of ALL the share holder governments to ensure that all the workers are rightfully paid. The stance taken by most of them is simply anti worker and anti union. If this was a private business who refused to pay redundant workers, I am sure the court would have come down heavily on that business. It is time that share holder governments stop making excuses and pay the workers. This matter has been allowed to drag on for too long.

  6. Can someone please tell me what dye the PM uses to dye his moutstache? I am only 35 and my stache is already white.

  7. It bears repeating, that this man is the biggest mistake in the history of Antigua and Barbuda’s politics. He is a bonafide thug and acts the part. Then we have idiots like @sideline trying to defend this wanabe Hilter.
    Sad to say, Antiguans had an opportunity to rid themselves of this scourge and took filthy lucre and cheap bribes to put him back to continue his plagues upon this country.
    @Curious attempted to chide me because I applauded Mia Motley for taking care of her own, accusing me of hate. How dumb is that! While regional governments are giving the LIAT workers their just due, a 100% of it, this clown threatens and spues vermin.
    Over 12 billion dollars in 8 years collected, not to mention the CIP and countless borrowings at exorbitant interest rates, and he could not give Antiguans and Barbudans any stimulus; he could not settle the 550 million dollars of Social Security monies that Lester Bird ripped off; and these clowns continue to penalize citizens for the ALP thievery by hiking social security monies.
    What a country!

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