Prime Minister Browne Urges Release of $12.1 Million to Former LIAT Workers
Prime Minister Gaston Browne has announced a significant step towards addressing the plight of former LIAT workers.
In a public statement on radio over the weekend, Browne revealed his intention to formally request that the shareholding governments of the former LIAT 1974 Limited and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) subordinate their interests in $12.1 million currently held in escrow at the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank. This move aims to make these funds available to the former workers of the now-defunct airline.
“I am now calling on publicly and will be writing to them formally on Monday, calling on all of the shareholding governments of the former LIAT 1974 Limited to subordinate their interest in that money,” Browne stated. He emphasized that the funds should be redirected to provide ex-gratia payments to the former employees as a form of severance pay.
Browne highlighted the unfair position the Caribbean Development Bank placed the workers in by securing loans against the aircraft.
“The loans that were issued to the shareholding governments were sovereign loans, and there was absolutely no need for the Caribbean Development Bank to take any lien over those aircraft,” he explained.
He argued that this action prejudiced the interests of other stakeholders, particularly the staff, who would have otherwise had priority to the $12.1 million.
In his upcoming letter, Browne will urge the CDB and the shareholding governments to release the escrow funds to pay the former LIAT workers.
“This money should be made available to the administrative LIAT 1974 Limited to pay the staff. This does not negate the shareholding governments from paying the difference so they get their full 100%; that is just a start.”
Browne underscored the workers’ reliance on governmental support, stating, “LIAT workers felt that LIAT had the support of all the governments, and I don’t believe at any point any of them contemplated that they would have worked for an airline that would have gone belly up and that their severance would have been prejudiced.”
He also addressed the financial implications for the shareholding governments, noting that the amounts involved would not significantly impact their budgets. For example, the Barbados government would only need to cover approximately $6 million, and the Antigua and Barbuda government around $4 million. “These amounts cannot hurt the respective governments, but the staff have been hurting for years,” he said.
Browne’s call to action extends to all stakeholders, including the CDB, emphasizing that the sovereign debt will continue to be serviced.
“The equitable position is for these stakeholders—these four governments and the CDB—to subordinate their interest and allow the $12.1 million to go towards paying severance,” he declared.
This initiative aims to provide relief to former LIAT workers across the Caribbean who have yet to receive their severance payments, ensuring they are compensated for their years of service. Browne’s proposal is expected to garner significant attention and support as the region seeks to address this long-standing issue.
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This man is a real donkey, for real. (Yes I said it)
In the 10 years this man have been PM, all he and his dumb ministers did was fight fight fight down his own people. He fought against the Barbudans for their lands, he fight down his very own Lait workers for their little money, he have taxed the hell out the people, the roads are bad, the justice system is terrible, crime is the worse it’s ever been, more illegal immigrants has enter this island more than anytime in the history of Antigua, and have setup camp here…All this under this man’s Leadership.
For the life of me I don’t know how y’all voted this man/party back into power..all this man does is fight down Antiguan’s, even to the point where he “tear gas” them for not taking the Vaccine, while protesting their human rights in a Democratic country, and now here he is trying to sound relevant and that he cares about Antiguan’s.
These are all facts facts facts, and it just sickens me that y’all have to suffer 4 more years under this “Donkey”.
Bloody joke indeed!!!
I care about no other topic in Antigua right now,than to get this “Donkey” out of office.
Me nar joke.
Election coming sooner than we realize.
The Barbados government has already paid its Barbadian LIAT workers 100% of their severance. 100% while this clown Gaston told his Antiguan workers y’all only getting 32% and TEK IT OR LEAVE IT!! Why then would the Barbados PM invest a further US 6 million to pay mostly Antiguan workers?? She won’t and Gaston knows this!! He’s just trying to sound caring fully well knowing that elections around the corner. Vote him and his dutty party out!!
Something telling me this ball of CRAP for a man think very little of the people of Antigua and it’s l👀king like you like 2b treated that way the government’s of Barbados n st Lucia have already compensated their former liat workers 100% so why in hell would they give you access to money as far as I know only Antigua n st Vincent have not paid their former liat workers.
So my question … is Liat 2020 now defunct?
Keep on voting this donkey anus in and Antigua will never get better. The people will keep on living poor, crime will continue to rise, food will be less affordable and all the while, all them ABLP ministers and their ass kissers will continue living sweet lives.
Continue voting them in and you get all you deserve. Dem even a get duty free everything and you have to beg and plead, waste time fill out paperwork and hope you get something duty free. Don’t think LIAT workers alone a suffer.
This is the result of voting people in who don’t give a shit about you.
Rasiley you receive your full severance from the BARBADOS GOVERNMENTwe want to eat and defecate like you. Live and let others live.Who the cap fit let them WEAR it.
RASILEY BARBADOS GOVERNMENT as a major SHAREHOLDER IN LIAT (1974) LTD with 51% shareholding equity,needs to find 51% of the total severance bill and pay the affected workers 100% SEVERANCE in the OECS and stop discriminating the workers in the OECS.It appears only Bajans are entitled to 100% severance.
@ fungee you like been under a rock all this time what else you would like Barbados to pay for in Antigua. what the f*** were over 600 people doing in Antigua on liat payroll it was just a matter of time before liat would have gone under paying those numbers every week/month browne boy getting down there and using liat like a welfare system and political football but Covid put paid to that world cup is in the Caribbean right now and so far I haven’t heard any problems with getting around from island to island so just think about that.
GG and RASILEY you sound like a MOTTLEY PIMP.You were part of the 600 workers on LIAT PAYROLL IN ANTIGUA ENJOYING A TAX FREE SALARY.The WELFARE and POLITICAL FOOTBALL SYSTEM FED YOU.
@ fungee thanks you just made the point why Barbados shouldn’t give Antigua one red cent Barbados taken care of their former liat workers so you guys can cry a river and hit rock till you get milk none of that 6 million for you.
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