St. Lucia has hinted at the possibility of leaving the Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority (ECCAA) after claiming that the Antigua-based organisation was hampering the development of the airline industry here.
Civil Aviation Minister, Guy Joseph, told a news conference that a number of airlines seeking to operate in and out of the island are encountering difficulties acquiring the requisite licences.
“At present my department we are working on a couple of areas where if an American based airline wants to operate in St. Lucia, they would need certified TSA persons to do their baggage handling and things of that nature,” he said.
Joseph said that there were also a “couple of airlines and there is one airline that was already providing service to St Croix and the northern Caribbean, and because of the challenges they were facing had ceased operations.
“But they have decided to recommence operations and we are also in discussion with them to get a 40 seater to run at least between St. Lucia all the way up to Jamaica,” the Civil Aviation Minister said, without elaborating.
But he said the local authorities are working on obtaining the requisite licences.
Joseph recalled that some time ago, Castries had indicated it was considering pulling out of the ECCAA and aligning itself with a similar organisation because of the inability to get issues decided upon.
“We have not taken this option off the table completely,” he said, adding that local authorities are working as best as they can to resolve matters.
Joseph told reporters that “quite a few airline people” who have shown interest in St.Lucia continue to visit his office highlighting the challenges they face in obtaining a licence from ECCAA.
”I can tell you that while we are encountering difficulty other Islands aren’t, with some having as many as four airlines with licences operating on their turf.
“There are all kinds of issues being continually raised to hinder our progress in obtaining a licence to operate an airline from Saint Lucia and we do not intend to continue to be held hostage,” Joseph said.
The ECCAA serves the nine-member Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) as the aviation accident and incident investigation authority of its jurisdiction.
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You and your visionless leader are free to go……. Who/Whom is stopping you all….
Ok, there are SOP’s that must be done. Everyone needs a lisence, depending on where they are coming/ going certain conditions must be met. Why not fly to Haiti instead of Jamaica food for thought?
Oh now it becomes clear why St. Lucia doesn’t want to put a dime in LIAT. They have plans to setup their own home base airlines. And one wonders why Caricom cannot work. The Islands are so divided it’s not funny. It’s like every man for themselves and God for us ALL. How foolish. ECCAA is not an Antiguan organization. Neither is the OECS Secretariat, or the ECCB or the Appeals Court in St. Lucia. Well United we stand Divided we Fall
OECS and CARICOM is falling apart.
St Lucia is a rouge country and should be sanctioned. Agricultural products is a good start.
BAD MOVE BY ST. LUCIA
OECS has an aviation authority based in Antigua.
OECS Secretariat is located in St Lucia.
OECS Central Bank is located in St Kitts.
The headline insights disunity.
Free to leave
ALLEN CHASTANET – the great regionalist
Bye St. Lucia
Allen ‘Uncle Tom’ Chasnet strikes again.
Just another nail in the coffin of the OECS and Caricom. A group of feuding leaders where everyone looks out for themselves. It is clear that all is not well within the region and from LIAT, to Venezuela, to CCJ, to Antigua’s bid to be the 4th landed campus of the UWI and now to Civil Aviation, the gloves are all off. This is a ‘SICK” region, badly in need of some medicine. Was gonna suggest that the leaders engage in a wrestling match and thrash out all their differences but the man who brought stampede wrestling to Antigua was laid to rest yesterday. God Bless your soul Doc Ramsay!
Wonder if the POTUS promised them something? Note, what was made mention.’An American base Airline”
What’s next the EC dollar and make the US collarbone official currency? I am not surprised at this move
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