Prime Minister Gaston Browne has responded to Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley, suggesting that she should have chosen a better word when she described the regional airline LIAT, as “doomed.”
Browne said for such an eloquent speaker, and someone with a superior vocabulary, “if I were her, I would not have utilised such an ill-fated adjective to describe the future or the fortune of LIAT.”
“I remain optimistic that the leaders of this region, especially the existing four shareholders of LIAT, have the capacity to restructure LIAT and place LIAT on the path of viability and sustainability,” he said.
Mottley told a recent town hall meeting in Barbados that the airline is “doomed”under its current ownership, declaring her fellow leaders are “not on the same page.”
However prime minister Brown told Pointe FM over the weekend, “I do not share that level of pessimism, I am not sure exactly in what context the statement was made by my dear friend the distinguished Prime Minister of Barbados.”
Browne said regional leaders in the past were able to keep LIAT in the air “and I cannot understand that any prime minister would countenance any possibility, of the present crop of leadership within the OECS and Barbados, do not have the capacity to keep LIAT in what ever form, alive.”
He said even if the budren is left to the four existing leaders and maybe a couple more, “I believe we can make success of LIAT.”
Browne last weekend signed a US$ 15 million loan to invest directly into LIAT.
He warned that “If LIAT’s prospects are so ill-fated then it will have serious economic consequences for the region.
“It will have consequences for the freedom of movement and so the success of LIAT is inextricably linked to the success of our countries.”
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Maybe the word doomed reminded him as to where Antigua is heading.
LIAT WILL SURVIVE . PRIME MINISTER GASTON BROWNE IS ON THE RIGHT TRACK .
Like Trudeau of Canada and Mottley of Barbados.They are not your friends.She did say,if LIAT continues under the current model of Management.It would be doomed.Yes,likely to have an unfortunate and an inescapable outcome.Big,Bad,Dawg,why you did not buy out the shares.Instead you went and got a loan from ALBA.To prop up a money pit,a cesspool filled with corruption.I called it Leave Islands Any Time.
Black-Man
I do not believe you understand ECONOMICS. Why would anyone in Their right mind buy Barbados shares when LIAT needs the cash . It is better to invest the cash directly into LIAT than buy Barbados shares . Black-Man I came to the conclusion that you just like to talk without using your brain . Hon. Gaston Browne is too advanced for you . You should take a course in ECONOMICS. God Bless Hon. Gaston Browne.
rupert mann:
You do not know me.But like many Antiguans you want to pass judgement on others.I am judging Gaston Browne’s behavior in leadership.ECONOMICS,what is that? I never heard of such a word.If as you have been implying.That Gaston Browne is so smart.The brightest bulb on the tree.Then why the hell is Antigua and Barbuda so BROKE.He is going all other the world.Borrowing left right and center.Now he wants to become the poster child for Reparations.Looking for money off the our dead ancestors,Blood money.What does Gaston intended to do with such monies if he is successful.
The PM of Barbados is not an easy push over and can hold her own on most given subject when it come to governance of a country. Let LIAT die! Things and times have changed however LIAT continues in the same cycle (to suck monies from the ill advised shareholders). The more management and directors see the shareholder’s willing to bail them out the more they find ways to spend recklessly. The only people who wants to see bail out for LIAT are the employees which I can understand, but not the politicians who utilize it as a free island hopping for their personal pleasure.
I think the Barbados PM will be proven right with time. Continuous pumping of monies into LIAT is not the long term answer. Yes, it protects local jobs but that is really shortsightedness. Only a matter of time before the need for more money.
Boss you must think before you speak…LIAT does a lot for the Caribbean more than you can imagine. Yes it should be run as profitable company. Without LIAT caribbean people will not be able to afford to fly…how many airlines came and try to offer cheap fares and survive? You want LIAT dead…what will happen to the hospitals the depend on LIAT to transport medicines, what about the professionals that use LIAT daily, What about the taxi drivers that depend on LIAT..do you know that most airports across the region are like ghost towns without LIAT. Most internation carriers come once a day or twice a week…don’t join with the ignorance…
Keeps talking down to people much brighter who hold the cards. Hasn’t gained an inch since announcement that Ant will purchase Bim shares and be major shareholder. That strategy failed miserably a new one to increase investment (with borrowed money) to overpower fellow shareholders also DOOMED to failure. When it is understood that smart people are on opposite side of negotiating table a solution will be possible.
Let Us take a step backwards and relax. Think about this……..Not everything when it comes to Government should make a profit. The most important is the service to the Citizens. LIAT is very important to the Islands without LIAT all the islands will suffer. My conclusion that the Islands must be prepared to prop up LIAT monthly. Put the Citizens first. If all the Islands decide to Prop LIAT monthly it would be much feasible to everyone. Let Us stop the BLAME factor. Government do not have the answer to everything . We the Citizens must have positive imputs and stop the BLAME game. Word to the wise.
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