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REDjet Sabotaged By Caricom: The Big Two Jamaica And Trinidad

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Two events occurred in the news this week which confirmed to BU that Caricom is in a coma. A mini-Caricom summit held in Guyana saw four heads absent, Prime Minister of Trinidad among them. In the obligatory end of summit communiqué which nobody reads except Rickey Singh, the heads advised the world implementation of a common currency would be further delayed until a review of the Guyana-based Caricom Secretariat. Have to admit the decision was a surprise, in fact the Caribbean is still in shock!

The other happening was REDjet’s decision to cancel plans to fly the Trinidad and Jamaica air routes. It is no secret both Jamaica and Trinidad have frustrated REDjet’s application to operate its low-cost airline between Barbados, Guyana, Trinidad and Jamaica. Barbados and Guyana gave the all clear to REDjet about a month ago.

One of the hindrances to movement of people in the region, whether for leisure or business, is the prohibitive cost of air travel. One would have thought our leaders in Caricom would have welcomed the opportunity to clear the hurdles for REDjet and others whose objective is to provide an affordable transportation service.   Instead we have the ridiculous situation of the Trinidad and Jamaica governments tag teaming REDjet and as they say the rest is history. Coincidentally the merger agreement between Air Jamaica and Caribbean Airlines after considerable delay was inked yesterday (26 May 2011).

It was not too long ago UWI lecturers Tennyson Joseph and Norman Girvan blamed the late Prime Minister David Thompson for the lack of progress in Caricom. Who are they blaming now? Why is regionalist Peter Wickham silent on this matter? They are all pushing regional integration but we have the leaders from the Big Two in Caricom constructively blocking competition which has the effect of making it expensive for people to move around the region. The hypocrisy has ben truly exposed.

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164 responses to “REDjet Sabotaged By Caricom: The Big Two Jamaica And Trinidad”

  1. Boycott Trinidad products Avatar
    Boycott Trinidad products

    It doesnt get more disgraceful is there recourse for Redjet in international law. Barbados and Guyana governments should come to Redjets assistance by banning CAL from their airspaces.

  2. Raw Bake Avatar
    Raw Bake

    Why is regionalist Peter Wickham silent on this matter?
    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    A better question would be, what does the Freundel Stuart administration have to say about this matter?

  3. observer Avatar
    observer

    Banning CAl from Barbados’ airspace would be detrimental to our tourism product. The Consumer Body should be in the forefront to boycott Trinidadian own businesses.

    Peter Wickham is an opportunist only interested in himself.

  4. BAFBFP Avatar
    BAFBFP

    Shite people, Caricom was only set up as a result of a dictate from the Government of the United States of America to act as a precursor to entering the Free Trade Area of the Americas, that is all. Everything else is smoke and mirrors, particularly now that the FTAA is dead …!

    Remember the fourth Summit of Americas in Argentina November 4-5, 2005? I will never forget the front page picture of your Prime Minister Owing After grinning he teet’ wid George Bush ..! That was a step towards sealing the deal but thankfully more intelligent leaders from the South put a spanner in the works.

  5. David Avatar
    David

    @Raw Bake

    Isn’t Barbados a member of Caricom which is in a coma and helped to sabotaged REDjet?

  6. Crusoe Avatar
    Crusoe

    Yes, Caricom is in a coma, as we have repeatedly pointed out, how can you have a legitimate regional governing orgainsation, when significant member states i.e. Jamaica and T&T, do not even subscribe to the ‘regional’ (sic) CCJ?

    A repeat of the 60’s.

    Caricom never will be a genuine united region.

    As for those who use the EU as an example, it may actually be indicative, as I anticipate the EU falling apart anyway, if not sooner, then later.

    The vagaries of economic difficulties and political disagreements will cause a breakup, even if only then reducing the EU to the original few.

    Note well that England has, rightfully, kept the Sterling.

    Trading concessions between the islands and a certain amount of ‘freedom’ of movement within the region is about all we can hope for.

    Time to be honest about it.

  7. BGI Avatar
    BGI

    From my end, I can’t see RedJET continuing as a viable commercial entity with 70 staff (?), 2 planes and 1 route, four times a week. Even till the end of June.

  8. David Avatar
    David

    Is it unreasonable to think that REDjet investors/management should have anticipated the roadblocks to starting up the airline? It is the Caribbean for godsakes.

  9. islandgal246 Avatar
    islandgal246

    The Barbados government seems to be invisible on this matter. I therefore proclaim that ALL Bajan consumers DO NOT TRAVEL ON CAL AT ALL! Tell your friends in the USA NOT TO TRAVEL ON CAL. If that is how business is done in the Caribbean it tells us that exactly what these so called governments think of Barbados. we need to take a stance on this. Or are we going to roll over and play dead? Where is the Minister of Tourism? Where is the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if there is one? Have they all gone dumb? WE SHOULD NOT TAKE THIS LYING DOWN! DAMMIT LET US SHOW SOME BACKBONE MR STUART!

  10. David Avatar
    David

    @islandgal246

    What did you have for breakfast this morning? The government do something? If it were Barbados perpetuating the roadblocks we would have to suffer the jackasses braying all across the Caribbean; and some homegrown ones as well.

  11. BAFBFP Avatar
    BAFBFP

    Wait David you calling me a homegrown Jackass?

  12. David Avatar
    David

    @BAFBFP

    Did not have you in mind when posting the comment.

  13. ac Avatar
    ac

    Also is it unreasonable for the T&T and Jamaica to ask and seek answers from Redjet afterall the flying public lives are at stake here. However Redjet may have to make some adjustment in its prices to have in order to have a level playing field.

  14. David Avatar
    David

    ac

    If you have been following this matter you would know that safety is not the issue with the REDjet application.

  15. ac Avatar
    ac

    I have read differening views and other periodicals on this issue and safety was one of focus not necessarily the main. However they are other real concerns which affect the public aswell which the othercountries have brought to light. One monkey does not make a show sometimes it is important to see others point of view and not to have “Tunnel vision” read the article in the Tinidian guardian concerning the problems which has affected the haulting of Redjet and it is not all about competition

  16. David Avatar
    David

    @ac

    In the case of Barbados the Civil Aviation Authority was understaffed and this contributed to the delay in REDjet getting the green light.

    In the case of T&T and Jamaica the merger of CAL and Air Jamaica (signed coincidentally in the 26 May) and the air route rights has become the issue.

    All the other issues are red herrings.

  17. islandgal246 Avatar
    islandgal246

    David asked islandgal……………”What did you have for breakfast this morning?”

    Well David I had a bowl of fedupness and some sour grapes. I can see that in these difficult times each man is for his own or with whoever they can get something from. I have always said that you will see the true nature of a person where money is involved. Perhaps an inter island ferry service would have been more a viable project for Red jet and its investors. If we as a Caribbean people cannot pull together in these hard times I am afraid there is no hope for us. We are like crabs in a barrel.

  18. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    What amazes me is that Trinidad comes to Barbados and competes against our companies with their oil rich dollar, and yet they don’t want a Barbadian registered aircraft to compete with their aircraft.

    This is wickedness plain and simple.

    Trinidad stands to gain tremendously as persons from Barbados will be going there to shop. When flights were more reasonably about 5-10 years ago you could not go on Frederick Street, or Brian Lara Promenade without seeing a Bajan.

  19. OLD SCHOOL Avatar
    OLD SCHOOL

    But surely this must be Barbados’ and the current administration’s fault. If the nation, Starcom, Ricky Singh and crew are to be believed, Barbados, especially Barbados under this administration, is the major block to further regional integration. The other memebrs of Caricom are all ging ho and ready to go with all and any initiatives that enhance regional integration.

  20. Click Avatar
    Click

    Anybody know where to find trinidadian lover Vic -market vendor-Fernandes, Rickey Singh, Wickham, David Ellis et al who lambast Barbados for anti Caribbean behaviour.

  21. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    David wrote, “Is it unreasonable to think that REDjet investors/management should have anticipated the roadblocks to starting up the airline? It is the Caribbean for godsakes.”

    David Investors do not always have enough knowledge of the level of “problems”.

    It is unfortunate that we are only Caribbean geographically.

    I have had Buisness dealings with all the countries in the Caribbean and it has ranged from very easy to very difficult.
    The one thing these islands have in common is insularity.

    At this point in history there is no Caricom. The closest we have come to a unified Caribbean is the West Indies cricket and we all know what an abysmal failure that is at the moment.

  22. David Avatar
    David

    @Hants

    Bizzy is the local investor known for being business savvy.

  23. Colonel Buggy Avatar
    Colonel Buggy

    Trinidad and Tobago,and Jamaica has put a spoke in the wheel of RedJet. But in todays Nation we are told that the fishermen of Tobago having no market for their catches will be turning to Barbados to offoad their fish, rather than allowing Bajan fishing boats into their waters.
    And you know something, they are likely to succeed because of the ballsless, apologetic leadership that we find ourselves with.
    We are fast becoming the kickarse nation of the Caribbean. It is so embarrassing, that recently St Kitts PM had to come to the defence of our PM.

  24. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ David
    Skippa, you saw the article in the Nation yesterday by the doctor which said that people should RELY more on BUSH TEA? … .well he was talking ’bout the BU family….LOL

    If wanna used to rely on BUSH TEA wanna would not be surprised by the Red Jet issue; wanna would not be surprised by the Myrna ‘whatshename’ attempt to denigrate Barbados.

    CSME and CARICOM are nothing but red herrings designed (like barreled crabs) , to keep us all at the same lowest common denominator.

    For years now the bushman have been preaching that Bajans need to work on focusingOUR resources and improving productivity, creativity etc – but no! wanna looking to regional co-operation to save wanna…. bringing foreigners to own and run everything ’bout here.

    RHOSA led the suicidal charge by selling out our best assets to people who dislike us….. now we got trojan horses all over the place- like the Starcom group who are dedicated to bashing anything Bajan; like all of our businesses and banks being run, and their policies dictated, by foreigners; the Power Company and Telephone Company belong to others, and now Bizzy making a strong case to have our land available to others so that we can more easily sell off the last of our birthrights.

    We gotta be real IDIOTS! How can we be so blind? …and foolish?
    So wanna REALLY expect that these FOREIGN owners care if our cost of living too high? HA HA HA!!!

    Wanna REALLY think that Trinidadians interested in fair play by allowing red Jet to compete with CAL? Ha ha ha

    …..the shit real close to the fan, sheeple….. the Bushman only hope that wanna got nuff Clorox put down.

  25. You can't do anything about it Avatar
    You can’t do anything about it

    Talk all you like, you still have to buy Trinidad and Jamaica products. Stop bellyaching.

  26. looking Avatar
    looking

    The Caricom issue needs a serious examination. This scribe attended Caricom meetings over 25 yrs ago. Can you believe the agenda is still pretty much the same. The crafters word it differently. A few months ago I looked at one and I am so so convinced that we are possibly wasting our resources on that.

  27. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ Hants
    “The one thing these islands have in common is insularity”
    ********************************
    …not true Hants, Insularity comes in a close second, but the MAIN thing that we have in common is mendicancy!

    Barbados was somewhat behind in this regard some years ago. We worked hard, paid taxes, and pulled our weight…. until a string of political idiots came along promising lots of benefits for little hard work -and added us to the Community of Small Mendicant Entities (CSME). Now we have become boss mendicants…. expecting handouts from the foreigners to whom we have sold our asses (…oops assets)

  28. You can't do anything about it Avatar
    You can’t do anything about it

    Face it, the heads of CARICOM are followers, not leaders with a deep love for their people. They are guided by economic models that were created to benefit others and do not have the capacity to lead the changes needed to advance their people. Just look at education in Barbados, the resources spent and what we get in the end – failures and successful followers – the snow capped mountains of Barbados.

  29. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    David the local investor should know the Caribbean better than Hants.
    He should also know that Trinidad and Jamaica are “Big” and “Insular” and ent gine let nuh little island company interfere wid dem airlines.

    And Bajans will continue to support the Trinidad and Jamaican Airlines “as per usual”.
    They have no choice.

  30. Pearl Avatar
    Pearl

    The whole thing is sad. We spent so much time fighting each other and pulling each other down rather than working together. If the Caribbean airlines were well run, timely provided excellent service and reasonably priced the chances of RedJet being interested in providing an airline service in the Caribbean would have been minimal because the market would have been sewn up.

    Each man or woman within his or her island needs to learn to work together to accomplish things. If that is ever achieved then there is a possibility of Caricom working. For instance two friends on the same level. One friend manages to save enough to own their own home. the friend without the home should be saying congrats, let me see what I can do to get my own property. Instead there is jealously, the friendship may break down, the negative talk i.e. if I didn’t buy xyz for he or she they couldn’t of got up there etc. . So if we can’t even work together on a basic level how can we realistically expect Caricom to work?

    We need a change in mentality.

  31. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    Bajans have become used to high prices because companies do not “compete”.

    Over the last 10 years I have travelled from Toronto to Barbados for as little as $199cad return.
    I have never paid more than $500cad return.

    Airlines in North America “compete”. They also react to economic conditions and will cut prices to increase sales.

  32. BAFBFP Avatar
    BAFBFP

    Guyana wants to strike up a deal with Barbados where the tourists to Barbados could grab a cheap RedJet flight to Guyana as part of a tourism package. To you people who believe that Barbados is the sole hero pushing CSME …. Lemme tell wunna now dat Richard Seally will have none of it! You think that Ba’bados gun advertise to have UK tourist come here and then lose dem said same tourises to Guyana ? Not ’bout hey … CSME ? Wunna mekkin’ sport or wah … LOL, LMHO (or wa’ eva’)

  33. Sargeant Avatar
    Sargeant

    West Indies Federation (One from ten leaves nought); the Little Eight; Carifta, Caricom; Carifesta, CSME;CCJ etc.

    Please feel free to fill in what I may have omitted, but what do all the above have in common? The stench of failure, soon to be followed by UWI and the cricket team.

    Don’t believe me? I hope some of us are around in a few years (dat might be impossible since the average BU contributor median age is 50+) but Redjet is just one of those minor irritants which will stir up anger in B’dos but T&T and Jamaica don’t give a fig about B’dos concerns.

    Wunna don’t see the other wedges? How about T & T and Jamaica establishing units at UWI to cover fields of study which were the exclusive responsibility of the other territories? Or Trinidad musing about fielding its own Test cricket team?

    The chickens coming home to roost.

  34. You can't do anything about it Avatar
    You can’t do anything about it

    UWI is not a problem – Barbados could consider an Education Industry, where internationally recognized universities are allowed to establish, staff and feed interested students into member campuses in Barbados. In fact, why not do so now, as a new economic activity, along with the main industries of tourism and financial services. And while we are at it, also remove the seeming stigma of agriculture by converting that industry to one characterized by greenhouses. Lets not wait for the next crisis.

  35. You can't do anything about it Avatar
    You can’t do anything about it

    Minister Kellman, can you imagine the transformation of St. Lucy, the university capital of the world – 10 or more internationally affiliated campuses, all built with the required student accommodation. The need for businesses to be established in St. Lucy to support these new communities; the foreign currency inflows for the capital works and subsequent living expenses of the students and staff; the greenhouse agricultural activity to generate the produce to support the food businesses; the potential intellectual property that may develop; the travel through the GIA at the end of each term; the additional university opportunities for talented Barbadian students; the endless potential for economic activity…

  36. Crusoe Avatar
    Crusoe

    @Bush Tea,

    I read the article, forgot to ask, is that you?

    @David & BAFBFP,

    Lol, that bit was funny. ‘Homegrown jackass’ indeed.

    Not that he immediately springs to mind, but this is why I have some respect for Denis Kellman.

    Kellman will tell you that the seawater got algae, whereas the usual political idiot will tell you that ‘there is an unidentified matter that probably does not bear danger but….blah blah’…know what I mean?

    We need political leaders who say it like it is, albeit due to recent events some would argue that we need political leaders who…say something…anything?!!! Lol

  37. islandgal246 Avatar
    islandgal246

    You can’t do anything about it | May 28, 2011 at 11:23 AM |
    “the travel through the GIA at the end of each term”

    You are wrong it will be SLIA instead of GAIA, if shit had wings, Kellman would have gotten an airport in St. Lucy.

  38. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ Crusoe
    No Sir, it was not the Bush Man’s article, (surprised you could not tell from the style LOL), but it is 100% endorsed by the original Bush Tea.

    @ the BU family

    …all those in favour of accepting advice on how to address our problems from a newcomer, blogging under the name “You can’t do anything about it” …. please say ‘AYE’!

    Methinks the Ayes have it. … cause we Bajans foolish so…rotfl

    @ YCDAAI
    If you understood the value and purpose of ‘Education’, you would NOT be suggesting that particular approach for Barbados …. unless like Bizzy you either have a short term, personal objective in mind which cares nothing about Barbados in the long term….. or you do not understand what you are saying…

    If one is savvy, one does not MARKET education!! one uses education to develop one’s most valuable assets to be ready and able to conquer the world. Those assets are – of course- one’s people.

    Anytime you commercialize a resource, it means that you are prepared to sell the very best of that product that you have to the highest bidder…. (if you can’t see the problem now you may be beyond the help of bush teas…..)

    Education to a Nation is like the blood flowing in a body. It nourishes, heals, energizes, and sustains success. What would it profit you to sell off your best blood…?

    Of course you are correct in your other positions, and even in your nom de plume…. but please drop the idea on the business of the commercialization of education…. that kind of draft may be a bit higher than you are currently able to distill…

  39. Endgame Avatar
    Endgame

    /It is so embarrassing, that recently St Kitts PM had to come to the defence of our PM./

    Read this and was embarassed flyspeck St. Kitts with horrendous murder rate fifty plus a year dissing BIM

  40. You can't do anything about it Avatar
    You can’t do anything about it

    Bay Leaf, you clearly do not understand the above… – in fact, you try too hard to demonstrate that which may not be.

  41. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    You can’t do anything about it wrote
    “And while we are at it, also remove the seeming stigma of agriculture by converting that industry to one characterized by greenhouses.”

    The stigma in Agriculture can be removed if the farmers,workers own the land they farm.

    If the Greenhouses are owned by the workers no problem but what has been good for Hants has to be good for my fellow Bajans.

    My late father was a farmer who owned his less than 40 acres and a tractor.
    He worked about 12 to 14 hours a day for almost 40 years because he OWNED the farm.

  42. David Avatar
    David

    @Bush Tea

    You can’t do anything about is proposing the model being practised in Malaysia.

  43. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    Bush Tea “cause we Bajans foolish so…rotfl”

    So foolish that you have one of the highest living standards in the Caribbean despite being a spec in the Ocean with no Oil or natural mineral resources.

    166 sq. miles and 280,ooo foolish people living like dem in de USA or Canada.

  44. BAFBFP Avatar
    BAFBFP

    Bush Tea on Education

    “Anytime you commercialize a resource, it means that you are prepared to sell the very best of that product that you have to the highest bidder…”

    UWI Cave Hill specializes in Law studies so lemetellya, I fah one will back the whole sale disposal of not only the very best, but the entire product too even the Lowest bidder …. Wah you say?

  45. Colonel Buggy Avatar
    Colonel Buggy

    What was it that the Dipper said about, “who is going to buy my white sand and who is going to buy my grey sand?” Caricom true to form.
    And if Redjet fails, it will be a matter of 2 Chronicles Verse 14
    “……..My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add thereto: my father chastise you with whips,but I will chastise you with scorpions.”

  46. weary baje Avatar
    weary baje

    It is sad and heart wringing that Barbadian voters don’t vote along the line of foreign policies and educational policies. Most of what is affecting Barbadian people and businesses are because of a weak, failed and outdated educational policy and dysfunctional and backward foreign policies. But all the voters of this island is interested in, is charismatic and popularity which on hind sight shows how illiterate the voters are and bad the educational system is.
    So stop complaining, you voted for consecutive government election after election where all have shown to be spineless with the Caribbean leaders and thoughtless and crooked with their own people who interest they should be looking out for.
    Barbados will never go forward or treated differently among its Caribbean neighbors if the electorate of Barbados dont change their modus operandi at the polls and seriously hold each government to account.
    People of Barbados use the power you have, it is greater than any other.

  47. David Avatar
    David

    The REDjet Affair may yet prove to be a seminal moment in Caribbean history when some of our leaders are forced to accept that Caricom is in a comatose state and urgent options need to be generated.

    It is interesting that Guyana’s president has jumped the gun by developing bilateral relationships with ‘non-traditional’ countries.

  48. Headman John Crow Avatar
    Headman John Crow

    I disagree that the big two, Trinidad and Jamaica, stagnate Red Jet coming to their shores. We only need to remember that Barbados is self-sufficient insofar as its neighbors are concerned. It has more educated people than anyone else and are of a superior racial stock — not Negroes, like the rest of plebes in the region. Plus, people might come back from Jamaica to contaminate this pure place: so why have a flight between the two nations! Jamaicans should keep their inferior selves out of this pure place called Barbados!

  49. David Avatar
    David

    @Headman John Crow or Irwin or whatever you chose to call your self, your slip is showing. The Myrie Affair simply brought to the surface what was already in the pestle.

  50. You can't do anything about it Avatar
    You can’t do anything about it

    A true love for their people is needed by those given the responsibility for leading people within our community, starting with our schools. If you are immune to the failure of our children, do not teach. If you are leading and do not feel the pain of those you lead, you are not fit to lead. I have no problem with people that wish to be wealthy, but, if wealth is your objective, start a business or invent something… don’t become a teacher, politician or pastor.

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