Paul Gibson (left) spokesperson for Health, Wellness and the Environment, looking on as Scott Weatherhead, spokesperson for Tourism, Regional and International Transport, delivered his detailed presentation.
According to a member of the People’s Party for Democracy and Development (PdP), the Caribbean Air Navigation and Advisory Services Limited (CANAS) currently owes the Government of Barbados close to USD$10 million dollars, which they believe is no small sum to be ignored by the Government.
Speaking during a press conference that took place yesterday afternoon, Scott Weatherhead, spokesperson for Tourism, Regional and International Transport, said that the fact that Barbados had not received a payment from CANAS since 2005 was of grave concern and something needed to be done.
He explained that the collection of these fees were for Aeronautical Navigation Services provided to the airlines passing through Barbados’ airspace, by CANAS, which is wholly owned by the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, through the Trinidad and Tobago Civil Aviation Authority.
He revealed that during a Trinidad and Tobago Senate Debate in 2010, that country’s Minister of Works and Transport Colm Imbert stated that CANAS was doing very well. Weatherhead continued: “The fact of the matter is that the collection of revenue by Caribbean Air Navigation Services Company has been a tremendous success. Prior to that the Government (of Trinidad and Tobago) was receiving a pittance, small change, and it is because of the foresight of the Civil Aviation Authority through the formation of the Caribbean Air Navigation Services Company, they have dramatically increased their revenues up to $100 million annually, possibly, one year it might have been as high as $200 million and this from the collection of air navigation services fees from airlines. For the Caribbean region.”
Weatherhead noted that according to their calculations, based on the original amounts paid to Barbados up to 2005, and based on traffic volumes at that time, at USD$25 000 per month, taking into account the payment of USD$200 00 made in 2007 for part of the 2006 period, the government of Barbados would have been owed 13 years of fees.
“That's 156 months at USD$25,000 per month. That is USD$3.9 million. But if we take into account the 150% increase in fees charged by CANAS to the airlines since 2005, then our cut should have been increased by the commensurate amount. So instead of receiving USD$25 000 per month, we should have been receiving approximately USD$62 500.00 per month. So that would mean that to date we would be owed USD$9.75 million,” he said.
“That is no small sum to be ignored by the Minister of Tourism and International Transport, or the Minister of Finance, given our precarious financial position as a nation.
“Barbados provides critical radar data and DVOR navigational facilities, which are based at Grantley Adams airport and are used by the PIARCO FIR to provide aeronautical navigational services to aircraft operating in this part of the FIR. We have to maintain this equipment, and CANAS is not paying us a cent.” (CLF)