Mottley Says Meeting To Discuss LIAT’s Future Clashed With Her Schedule

22
LIAT

By Ken Richards

(WINN): A Gaston Browne proposed LIAT related meeting failed to materialize on Monday.

The Antiguan Prime Minister had requested that LIAT shareholders meet to discuss the future of the airline.

But it was postponed after Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Mottley said the meeting clashed with her schedule, according to a disappointed Prime Minister Browne.

The Antiguan leader had seen Monday’s meeting as a last-ditch effort to save the regional airline.

Gaston Browne expects the meeting to be re-scheduled.

However, Barbados’ Mottley has reportedly not been able to confirm when she will be available.

A decision was taken last month to liquidate LIAT.

Antigua and Barbuda has been urging the other shareholders to consider another option instead – reorganizing LIAT into what would be dubbed LIAT 2020.

Major shareholder Barbados is not keen on going that route, as Prime Minister Mottley has been indicating, along with her Vincentian colleague Ralph Gonsalves.

Speaking about his new plan last week, Prime Minister Browne said that he was optimistic about the meeting he requested would be held, even while he acknowledged that these two colleagues are not interested in starting a new LIAT.

Browne also alleged that Mottley and Gonsalves were trying to “kill the brand”.

Meanwhile, LIAT employees are said to have agreed to invest thirty percent severance cut into shares of any new entity.

The staff agreed to accept a thirty percent cut instead of the fifty percent proposed by the prime minister.

David Massiah is the General Secretary of the Antigua Workers Union confirmed the position of the workers when he spoke to Observer Radio.

“The principle behind the position, they were basically supporting the view of the Prime Minister. …Workers were asking that in any sort of reorganizing that the workers have a much greater share in any new company and that they be given a prominent role on the board. One of the things that they are saying is that the 30 percent cut that they be rolled off into shares into the new entity that would basically come forward on behalf of the employees along the way.”

Advertise with the mоѕt vіѕіtеd nеwѕ ѕіtе іn Antigua!
We offer fully customizable and flexible digital marketing packages.
Contact us at [email protected]

22 COMMENTS

  1. Ralph and Mia doesn’t like the power of Gaston. Chastanet, Douglas and Harris are all fooly leaders. Mia and Ralph are trying to ambush and spite Gaston. These are not Caricom brothers and sisters but are terrorists to the organization. Gaston will not be move and Liat will be revived.

    • Mia keeping Browne begging for a meeting was expected. Browne’s erratic actions and inflammatory words are undiplomatic to say the least. Nor is he toning down his language or behavior although he’s been ignored. I’m stocked on popcorn in a comfy sofa to watch how this B movie will end.

  2. I guess Mia underestimate the resilience of our Prime Minister. And when she saw his new plan she knew she was checkmate and had to come up with something new to counter that. But I guess now she will have to get advise from her IMF bosses. The way I see this thing go is into the court and Gaston should not hesitate to fight for his country until the end. End although in times like this you would think that politics should be set aside and we all should stand as one behind our Prime Minister, not in Antigua. Your worst enemy could be your best friend. The UPP could never put country before party. Kublai sang about that. I still think the majority shareholder cannot force the minority shareholder to accept liquidation. Any court would rule that to be like bullying. I remember almost the same thing happen with the shareholders of Jumby Bay. The homeowners had to take them to court in order to protect the value of their property. And they formed a managing company and leased it to Rosewood and so on. The minority has a plan to rescue the company and is willing to put the money in the company and should therefore be given the change.The fact that Barbados cannot put in any more money is to bad for them. When you play poker and you have no more money to bed no matter if you had a good hand you lose cause you could not put in any more money. Many know this as calling ones bluff.

    • Man sideline you sound like an idiot what you saying is like a little child fairy tale. In poker you need to know when to hold and when to fold. Guess who don’t know when to fold?

    • From The Sideline what plan are you talking about? Our Prime Minister has indicated that rather than liquidating LIAT (a decision he agreed to), he is proposing that LIAT be restructured. In fact, he made it public that he was taking steps already to incorporate a new company called LIAT 2020. FROM THE SIDELINE please pick sense out of nonsense. Yes, it would appear that Mia and Ralph have outmaneuvered our Prime Minister. Some would go as far as to say that he was stabbed in the back by both of them. Anyway, for you to say that Mia saw Gaston’s proposed plan for LIAT is rather misleading because I do not think that there is any plan other ideas floating in the air.

      • Sad that you care to repeats Ralph’s lies but not care that the PM responded and wrote an open letter to him dispelling that. But that is how you behave. and since you don’t believe our PM has a plan, you just sit and wait. You guys have been wishing and hoping for years now that he fails. But sorry you guys will not have that pleasure. You will have egg in your face. And like And like Mr. Yida said you will be left in the economic dustbin of history. While the dogs bark the wagon moves on.

  3. @Anon.
    Ignore the pretender, the usurper, the fraud who now is allowed to write under the name ‘Anon’ knowing fully well that ‘Anon’ was already in active use. It is so sad since this new ‘Anon’ writes such childish crap all designed to belittle Antigua’s role in an emerging Caribbean consciousness. Keep the name you fraud. Committed as I am to Real Talk, I will simply register my opinions under the correct pseudonym, Anon the 1st.

  4. “So, in a last-ditch effort, I have requested a meeting for next Monday, WHICH I BELIEVE I WILL GET, to look at the possible reorganizational plan. We should have that plan completed by Friday,” the Antigua and Barbuda prime minister announced.”
    My Media Friends, do your homework. He did not get a meeting, period. Stop writing as if they agreed to the meeting. He asked, they did not say yes. And why should they? He asked and at the same time, told them off. In the interest of our PM. we need to get some “help” for him. That is not normal, diplomatic, statesman-like behaviour.

    • He suppose to be stateman like when over 400 persons about to lose their jobs? Mia and Ralph don’t give a hoot because the majority of LIAT staff are based in Antigua so killing off LIAT is no big consequence to them. Keep up the fight PM Browne.

  5. It appears the PM might be on his own on this one, maybe with the other Leeward Islands. Suggest that if he wants to rescue Liat, he should find other investors as the rest of the shareholders already have other plans which do not include Liat.

    • From what I read here it seems as if most persons commenting have not done their homework. Who has been holding up financially year after year? Would you all rather see Barbados sink as a country rather that maintain its debt recovery program? Why should Vincentians and Barbadians pay so much for 30 minutes of flight between them when its cheaper to travel to the USA for less? Come on people let’s be reasonable in out thinking.

      • I agree. I am trinidadian and an adult ticket to Dominica is over 2000 dollars. I find its way too much money

  6. Liat is said to be EC $100 million in debt and also would be fighting against reduce travel due to COVID-19. For many years only a few Caribbean islands contributed to Liat while many benefitted from it without contribution. I don’t see why major shareholders would continue to sink money into it. If I was PM Browne the $15 million EC he has I would use that money to create more sustainable jobs for the workers of Liat and others.

  7. I dont understand the citizens of Antigua for years u all try to control LIAT why u have the oppurtunity whats the problem now Mr Browne has it well let him keep it cause i cant see why Barbados should keep funding LIAT with taxpayers money to support Antigua total monsense

  8. I dont understand the citizens of Antigua for years u all try to control LIAT why u have the oppurtunity whats the problem now Mr Browne has it well let him keep it cause i cant see why Barbados should keep funding LIAT with taxpayers money to support Antigua total nonsense Mr Browne would be really crazy to fight a country for its money

  9. This ongoing issue is rather unfortunate as this is a clear and present danger as it relates the fragility of CARICOM. If our leaders cant come to a transparente consenus on such a critical agenda as airtransport for our region. This is a clear reflection of resentment shared among our leaders for one another.This definitley cant be helpful for a United Community. The hard facts is straight forward. Over the years its has been the culture that LIAT has been chronicaly misnanaged and misfitingly managed resulting in its preseent l woes. Secondly LIAT is too politically tainted and as such this cant be healthy for any serious buisness.Its really sad that for an Airline thats has over 40 yearsof service in the Caribbean is at such a state. LIAT needs to consult with the liquidaters of BWIA now CAL for some expert advice on LIAT 2020.The leaders have lost faith and righfully so in Antiguas ability to manage it.

  10. Gaskin could put all of Antigua funds into liat. All islands liat flies to should contribute. If those dont contribute well no flights. LIAT died to many times. Lets move forward

Comments are closed.