OPPOSITION Member of Parliament for St. James Central, Kerrie Symmonds, says calls for the island’s airport to strive for Category One status are not a simple criticism.
Speaking in the Lower Chamber earlier last week, Symmonds reminded that a locally registered carrier would then have access to US jurisdictions. “LIAT flies into a couple of US jurisdictions. In view of the considerable noise being heard across the region, the issue of Barbados reaching Category One has greater significance.”
Saying that Heads of Government are shouting across the Caribbean at each other about LIAT, he asked for specific policies with regard to talk of a planned shift of LIAT’s operation from St. John’s, Antigua to Bridgetown, Barbados. “That is the core issue here; we need to be clear in our minds. What is Government’s plan with respect to LIAT?
“There is no doubt that LIAT continues to be the major instrument by which we can move people in this region, and knit together a region in pursuit of regional integration. That has always been the mandate. That is not the issue that is before us now. The issue before us is in the context of trying to achieve that mandate. LIAT has become increasingly a financial burden that the country Barbados must carry but at the same time, the people of Barbados are not engaged in serious dialogue by its Government on what is the precise intention,” he charged.
“The time has come for a coherent and sensible discussion on some of these things affecting the psyche and confidence of the market, but also the employees. It is a fact that employees had 14 months of salary deferrals because one shareholder government did not pay its portion of recapitalisation on time,” Symmonds said.
As it relates to the hangar fire in the Antigua base of LIAT back in 2012, Symmonds noted that this raised serious implications for the management and operations of LIAT’s business.
“When the fire took place, it destroyed several Dash 8 records. It made continued operations of the aircraft very difficult because the Dash 8s were under lease. Critical issues such as service and maintenance records were lost.”
Symmonds explained that it was felt that restoration of records would run into the millions, adding that many were paper documented.
“Parliament deserves to know the next steps to hold someone accountable with respect to the fire and need for discipline with respect to the loss of records of the aircraft of the region.”
He queried whether the Navitaire Reservation System is currently being used, noting that there were concerns raised about it functioning as a hindrance to the ability of the airline to connect with other airlines. (JH)
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