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LIAT Pilots Call for Sacking of Management

(St John’s, Antigua) The Leeward Islands Airline Pilots Association (LIALPA) unfortunately has no other choice but to call on the Shareholder Governments to remove the current LIAT management. We reluctantly make this call because we will not stand by and watch the airline’s financial health  continue to deteriorate at massive levels, to the point where LIAT can’t even pay salaries on time – LIALPA’s press release

 

The following press release was issued by the Leeward Islands Airline Pilots Association (LIALPA). When and where will shareholder governments draw the line to signal that enough is enough? Barbados is the major shareholder and therefore have greater influence over the Board of Directors. It seems however to outsiders that Antigua, St. Lucia and a few other countries have more say in the management of the airline.

If what is detailed n the latest press release is correct an immediate response from the Board is required on an action plan to eradicate LIAT’s problems once and for all. On reflection, many of the shareholder governments cannot solve simple domestic issues how therefore will it be possible to resolve those of an airline that serves a challenging space like the Caribbean.

53 responses to “LIAT Pilots Call for Sacking of Management”

  1. CUP.Violet Beckles Plantation Deeds from 1926-2017 land tax bills and no Deeds,BLPand DLP Massive land Fruad and PONZI Avatar
    CUP.Violet Beckles Plantation Deeds from 1926-2017 land tax bills and no Deeds,BLPand DLP Massive land Fruad and PONZI

    Red Jet was better, Bring it Back,

  2. Artaxerxes Avatar
    Artaxerxes

    “Loss of hundreds of thousands of dollars for removing a flight route from Grenada schedule..…”

    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    The Grenadian and St. Lucian governments have refused to invest in LIAT, but continue to enjoy its benefits to their economy, at the expense of Antiguan, Barbadian, Dominican and Vincentian tax payers. The funds used to finance LIAT’s operations do not belong to LIAT, but to the tax payers of the shareholder islands.

    Therefore, I do not have any problem with “removing flights routes from Grenada,” St. Lucia, or St. Kitts, and believe they should have two flights per day.

    What is the cost, to shareholder governments’ tax payers, of flight service to other islands that do not invest in LIAT, such as Martinique, Guadeloupe, Puerto Rico, St. Maarten, St. Croix, St. Thomas, Tortola, Trinidad and Guyana?

    However, what else can we expect from LIAT when there is turmoil at the shareholder level, primarily caused by “Antiguan government insularity.” This is evidenced, for example, by Antigua’s PM Gaston Browne’s resistance to various shareholder decisions, such as shifting LIAT’s base to Barbados, and his intension for Antigua to become majority shareholder in the airline. These objectives seem to be of paramount importance to Antigua and Browne than the successful and profitable operation of LIAT.

    LIAT also faces competition from “interCaribbean Airways,” which operates flights from Antigua to Tortola and Puerto Rico and provides service to The Bahamas, Cuba, Jamaica, Santo Domingo, Haiti and the Turk & Caicos Islands.

  3. David Avatar
    David

    @Artax

    You need to expand you point concerning the removal of LIAT’S service to Grenada. LIAT is a business therefore if it is a profitable route as alluded to by the pilots association what is the sense to remove it.

  4. Artaxerxes Avatar
    Artaxerxes

    @ David

    In response to you comment re: “LIAT is a business therefore if it is a profitable route as alluded to by the pilots association what is the sense to remove it.”

    The following excerpts were taken from an article on Grenada Tourism Authority’s website, entitled: “Grenada To Benefit From New LIAT Schedule:”

    “(St. George’s, Grenada) 20th March, 2017— Minister for Tourism & Civil Aviation, Dr. the Hon. Clarice Modest-Curwen MP, has today announced the restoration of the daily early-morning LIAT service to Barbados. LIAT withdrew this and another service in late 2016, prompting local officials to seek alternatives, while negotiating with LIAT for restoration.”

    “This decision to restore the flight follows a visit to Grenada by LIAT top-ranking executives at the invitation of the Minister’s Advisory Committee on Airlift for discussions early in February this year. The service resumes on June 15th and is already available for sale via LIAT’s online portal. Minister Modest-Curwen added that LIAT will also be INTRODUCING a NEW FLIGHT to Grenada in what is known as a point-to-point service (Barbados-Grenada-Barbados). “This new service will also commence on June 15th and will operate four days a week, arriving from Barbados mid-morning, and departing Grenada just before noon for Barbados”, confirmed the Minister.”

    “Chairman of the Airlift Committee, Richard Strachan indicated that LIAT was represented at the February meeting by Acting CEO Julie Reifer-Jones, Chief Commercial Officer Lloyd Carswell and Manager of Scheduling, Jabari Jemmot. “LIAT has assured us of their new vision in doing business with Grenada by ensuring same day connectivity both ways. They will change the aircraft type to the larger ATR72, thereby providing an ADDITIONAL 40 seats daily (BGI-GND-POS) on one of the services” Strachan said. He also stated that the NEW SCHEDULE will SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE the NUMBER of AVAILABLE SEATS to Grenada WEEKLY by OVER 4,000, REPRESENTING a 60% INCREASE.”

    “Marketing Manager at the Grenada Tourism Authority, Francine Stewart, WELCOMED the NEW SCHEDULE noting that the top two regional markets for Grenada in the last two years have been Barbados and Trinidad & Tobago both ways. She said, “this new schedule of service parallels nicely with our needs and we have already started working with LIAT’s marketing team to not only market the new flights, but to fulfill the additional capacity we are now going to BENEFIT from.”….”

    Does this article, which came from the Grenadian government, not different from what the pilots’ association’s allegations?

  5. Artaxerxes Avatar
    Artaxerxes

    @ David

    In response to your comments re: “You need to expand you point concerning the removal of LIAT’S service to Grenada.”

    On February 9, 2016, Minister of Industry, International Business, Commerce and Small Business Development, Donville Inniss is reported in LOOP News as saying: “One of my peeves is that there is a heavy dependence on LIAT but there are some OECS countries that benefit tremendously from LIAT and do not contribute to LIAT directly.”

    “So they’re really as far as I am concerned, taking advantage of Barbados in the sense that we are 49 per cent shareholders at LIAT, pay the bulk of the bills associated with LIAT, and as far as I’m concerned, other countries need to step up and make a more meaningful contribution to LIAT.”

    I agree with and support Inniss’s comments wholeheartedly.

    In September 2016, Grenada’s Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation and Culture in Grenada, Clariste Modeste-Curwen, was highly critical of LIAT’s service. As frequent user of LIAT’s service, I share her sentiments, since passengers often suffer inconveniences due to the constant delays in flights.

    However, the Grenadian government is insisting it will not invest in LIAT until there is an improvement in the airline’s operations. Yet, they still expect the Grenadian economy to benefit from LIAT’s services at the expense of taxpayers of the shareholder islands.

    The governments of Grenada, St. Lucia and St. Kitts do not want to invest in LIAT but the APPLICATION of their TAXES to airfares, have SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED the COST of travel to LIAT’s regional customers. To remain competitive and provide a much needed regional service, in some cases, LIAT would have to offer a limited amount of reduced airfares, at the detriment of profitability.

    Additionally, with the exclusion of taxes from individual territories, the basic fare remains reasonable and this may be a result of the shareholder governments using tax payers’ funds to more or less “subsidize” airfares. Unfortunately, however, with the inclusion of territorial taxes, if LIAT allowed market forces to control airfare and inter-regional travel would be much more expensive.

    Yet, even taking these circumstances into consideration, we are insisting LIAT is a business and should operate as such.

    How can LIAT continue with ONLY the shareholder governments sharing the burden, while members of the “Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) are reaping the benefits of LIAT and intra-regional travel without footing the bill or helping the situation?”

  6. James Lynch Avatar
    James Lynch

    FACT: At Board and management level LIAT has FOREVER been run by politically appointed persons who are NOT COMPETENT in the fields of airlines or aviation.

    FACT: Again in financial crisis – with its shareholder countries also in financial crisis – the insane Prime Ministers and Board are AGAIN considering appointing someone to the CEO position who IS NOT COMPETENT in the field of airlines or aviation, She is a former Almond Resorts accountant with experience in hotels, and one interviewer has said she could not even demonstrate THAT competence. She was put in the CFO position by her friend Jean Holder, and now believes that after three or four years shoving numbers around she knows all about airlines.

    ** WRONG **

    At this point all the CFO knows about this airline is how she will deal with its bankruptcy (and even THAT is a maybe).

    FACT: LIAT is once again in financial crisis, but this time does not have the employee pension funds to attack.

    FACT: Unless the LIAT shareholders make up their minds to appoint a CEO who has the qualifications and international experience, LIAT will tumble about the same time as the Barbados dollar devalues – if only for the simple reason that the 50%+ shareholder can no longer afford its airline commitments.

    FACT: The shareholder representative for Barbados, Freundel Stuart, as well as his Minister representative to LIAT are incapable of effecting ANY difference in the way LIAT is run. One is asleep, the other incompetent (despite buying an MBA).

    FACT: The shareholder representative for St. Vincent. Ralph Gonsalves, is not only incompetent in his approach of airlines being a natural burden on the taxpayer, but he is a MINORITY SHAREHOLDER – and loss payer – (at just 11%), now has his own international airport and SVG Air, and NO LONGER NEEDS LIAT.

    FACT: if you see the current CFO pushed forward as CEO to “guh long an see whuh she could do wid it”, expect LIAT to disappear completeley within a few years. She is INCAPABLE of taking LIAT to the next level.

    FACT: if you see a qualified, internationally experienced CEO installed – and not an unqualified inexperienced dumbass like the last bumbling one – then expect LIAT to soar and become a real threat to Caribbean Airlines. Because the pre-requirement I would impose if I were offered the job – and I would advise anyone trying for it – would be for the politicians to permanentlyn get the hell out of the way and allow the company to be recreated as a viable business and not every regional politician’s plaything. The Cayman and St. Maarten governments “got out of the eway”, and both iof thiose airlines are now MAKING A HEALTHY PROFIT. Cayman is also expanding and buying NEW EQUIPMENT.

    Enough with the boolshyte, politicians. Stop loading up the poor taxpayers with your usual unnecessary political nonsense and DO IT RIGHT THIS TIME.

  7. James Lynch Avatar
    James Lynch

    In the matter of shareholding and ownership, once it is run as a BUSINESS, LIAT management will take care of those problems. Because Barbados is a shareholder does not mean that Bajans pay any less than a Grenadian, the same way that because Grenada is NOT a shareholder Grenadians pay any more than a Bajan.

    Fares are calculated based on costs, not shareholding. If a properly-run LIAT is losing money on a particulat destination then there are vehicles to deal with that, from withdrawing service, raising fares all the way to negotiating a subsidy with the destination concerned.

    Shareholding is IRRELEVANT, unless the shareholders are abusing the airline – whether through neglect or deliberate sabotage, or both, as we can see now.

    The fact is, any airline has to make money and cannot be a “social service”. Once upon a time LIAT used to deal with the very small islands and changed the way they operate, and professionals know other ways of dealing with such routes. It is NOT “rocket surgery” if you have the knowledge, qualifications and international experience – and do not have your hands chained together behind your back by politicians.

    As an aviation professional I have to say “Sorry, Artaxerxes and Donville Inniss, but you are blowing ganja smoke through your left feet.” Stuff and nonsense – shareholding in LIAT right now determines how much of the sheer stupidity you are willing to be responsible for. Barbados has 50% of the blame for lack of interest in aviation – hence Category 2 and the lowest competence in any Civil Aviation department I have ever seen in my life and travels. It truly is a disgrace to the nation.

    Antigua has the greatest interest and skillset, but is second in terms of shareholding at 34% – yet because the Bajan Jackass won’t bray and has the majority they can do nothing.

    St. Vincent, the lowest shareholder at 11%, is the least qualified of all but has the biggest mouth and is the biggest bully, so snatched the chairmanship and now calls the shots,

    Get this straight: Running an airline is NOT the same as running a hardware store or a Macdonalds. The sooner LIAT gets professional management and Board the sooner LIAT will not be a burden on the taxpayer.

    Enough with this boolshyte. You would not go to a beach vendor for the work of an attorney, why would we be asked to think that we can put a political friend as CEO to “guh long an see whuh he/she could do wid it”?

    Them times gone. Straighten up and fly right. Put professionals to do professional work, and stop this fooling around with HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS of taxpayer dollars.

    And while we are at it, how about making LIAT’s accounts for the last 42 years public? It is a company owned by the taxpayers, what is the big secret?

  8. David Avatar
    David

    @Artax

    Hopefully this will be explained by a commenter better informed than ourselves.

  9. David Avatar
    David

    @James Lynch

    We have had a few really qualified CEOs over the years. The common factor to explain LIAT’s woes is the shareholders and Board not being able to oversee an effective strategy for the airline.

  10. Gabriel Avatar
    Gabriel

    LIAT is an enigma.It is run by ruling elites so called; namely the Antiguan two bit politicians especially the Bird dynasty and the capable but demanding pilots.To be rid of that nightmare for management,the airline should be privatized if they can find a buyer.That is the long and short of it.Bear in mind that the airline industry is a red ink industry.It requires lots of money to stay in the air.These poor ass Caribbean governments do not have money even to pay their public servants let alone run an expensive item like an airline.Thats why Barbados got out of Caribbean Airways.Too damn expensive and too much waste in upkeep costsAs the carrier is currently controlled, LIAT will not be financially viable.

  11. Gabriel Avatar
    Gabriel

    Is Maloney still representing the DLP on the board of LIAT?Just asking.

  12. David Avatar
    David

    @Gabriel

    https://www.liat.com/navSource.html?page_id=80

  13. James Lynch Avatar
    James Lynch

    Begging your pardon Sir, but of all those who “tried a ting”, LIAT has had ONE properly qualified CEO in the last 20 years – after M. Filiatreault, who himself was rumoured to be STILL receiving kickbacks from the leases of the Dash-8s until they were all returned (he introduced them, he was the sole lease negotiator, and LIAT was soon found to be paying among the highest Dash-8 lease rates in the entire world).

    That ONE was Trinidadian Ian Brunton, himself suspected of being a plant by T&T/CAL to destroy LIAT from the inside (- and he seems to have done a ‘uge bigly tremendous job there) after PM Patrick Manning announced that CAL would be THE regional airline and that T&T would take over all the others – whether they liked it or not. The LIAT shareholders told him where to shove that piece of paper, and so LIAT was doomed as far as T&T was concerned.

    What we see now is the result of Brunton bamboozling a bunch of political appointees (LIAT’s Board) with NO IDEA what he was talking about in the presentation, and they swallowed the IED jacket, belt, igniters and the extra stick of dynamite with the burning fuse whole. To get Bombardier to refurbish ALL of the Dash-8s to new condition would have been just US$15 million, but US$100 million in new aircraft provides certain people much healthier commissions (and kickbacks to certain others).

    No, don’t start moaning and groaning, we ALL know what I am talking about, and reality is reality – if you want to daydream of green fields and rose petals, go and find your day bed and relax. I am a straight talker, if you can’t take this heat then stay the hell out of the kitchen.

    Manning went as far as to say that he (CAL) would take LIAT first, but events in Jamaica overtook him and he had to give Air Jamaica that most special pleasure – and neither CAL nor the Jamaican people have recovered yet from that demonstration of gross incompetence. With very little research we can know what has happened to Air Jamaica and the Jamaican inter-Caribbean market under CAL. The losses have been such that the Trinidadian taxpayer has already demanded that CAL pull out of Jamaica.

    Capt. Brunton, as you well know, left LIAT under a VERY dark cloud after his self-induced “meltdown” – from refusing to hire extra pilots to cater for the Dash-8/ATR overlap. He was warned by both the ECCAA and LIALPA, and still did nothing. To crown his extra-CAL av=\chievement, he then chartered out a new ATR to a visiting dignitary while there were literally THOUSANDS of passengers stranded across 1,000 miles of network.

    SOME people may have forgotten these “little things”, but I have not. And I will continue to remind those who have forgotten, lest we find ourselves without inter-island transportation and at the mercy of a certain little incompetent and expensive outfit which calls itself Caribbean Airlines – The National Airline Of Trinidad And Tobago.

    I will say it again, those who know NOTHING about airlines CANNOT make viable long-range plans for them. It takes qualifications and many years of broad experience to understand what REALLY makes an airline tick, and – as in ANY area of endeavour – the same again to be able to innovate.

    As I said before, a qualified and experienced CEO would start by stated that a condition of his employment is that ALL of the politicians LEAVE THE STUDIO. Nobody can work properly if they are carrying 12 millstones, 7 old iron boat anchors and have therir hands handcuffed behind their backs. And I will personally endeavour to make that known to anyone I hear is in the running so they don’t waste their time with the usual 12-ring political circus of freaks and braying jackasses which “entertain” us in this part of the world.

  14. Gabriel Avatar
    Gabriel

    David
    That shareholding list suggests almost all the ES Caribbean governments are on board with LIAT.Further it lists BWIA,which as far as I know is no longer an entity,among the shareholders.
    James,are you connected to the Lynch-Kings of St Kitts.I recall their name featuring prominently in the LIAT household some years I ago.Two in particular,pilots, Emile and David,–Mr LIAT himself.

  15. James Lynch Avatar
    James Lynch

    David, I knew and flew with Richard King at LIAT during my 16 years there (he is now long since retired), but I do not believe we are related. I came from black stock in Barbados, I believe he is from white.

    Anyway, I wanted to bring a previous article to the discussion, where – in October last year, six months ago – the LIAT pilots brought the following to the public’s attention:
    http://www.craneforum.org/viewtopic.php?t=23044

    You may recognise some of the stated complaints:

    “LIAT pilots’ union exposes airline’s sordid internal affairs
    Monday, 24 October 2016
    – 31 pilots left in the past two years; no replacement hired
    – Pilots flying up to 11 hours without meal breaks
    – Chemicals roach infestation in planes making pilots sick
    – Removal of ‘profitable routes’ led to projected losses?
    – What role is ‘political interference’ playing in projected losses?
    – Airline lost millions on sale of Dash-8 planes when fire destroyed records”

    I also followed that article in my CRANE blog with some remarks of my own, and closed with the question…

    “While we are on the subject of LIAT, perhaps it is also a good time to demand that the audited accounts for the last 40 years also be made public. An entity bought, owned and maintained financially by shareholder government taxpayers should produce and publish its audited accounts as a matter of public record, not keep them hidden as national secrets.”

    LIAT is owned by the taxpayers of several countries, yet their annual accounts are treated with the same secrecy as a private company.

    SO WHAT MASSIVE THIEVING AND INCOMPETENCE HAVE THE POLITICIANS BEEN HIDING?? PUBLISH LIAT’S ANNUAL ACCOUNTS – ALL OF THEM.

  16. James Lynch Avatar
    James Lynch

    Sorry, that first sentence was for Gabriel.

  17. David Avatar
    David

    @James Lynch

    Are you aware according to the Auditor General report almost all government state agencies are behind producing certified financials? What credibility influence does it have to same for LIAT.

  18. David Avatar
    David

    The idea of LIAT’S pilots not being paid in a timely manner is not good. These are professionals charged with transporting human beings in the air for crissakes.

  19. James Lynch Avatar
    James Lynch

    @David

    I am referring to the lack of audited accounts made public for LIAT for OVER 40 YEARS.

    There is not only a TOTAL lack of accountability from shareholder Prime Ministers, Board and management but also from the CFO and all of the CFOs and Accountants before her.

    And this is not a little bit of money, over the last 40 years the taxpayers must have poured multiple US$ BILLIONS in to LIAT.

    And last time I asked about LIAT’s annual accounts, I was told that is “NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS”.

  20. James Lynch Avatar
    James Lynch

    @David

    As a former one of LIAT’s airline pilots, allow me to tell you that I am still in very close contact with LIALPA, and I can assure the travelling public that none of LIAT’s pilots will ever endanger an aircraft or its passengers – as evidenced by certain pilots coming to the brink of termination for refusing to operate unsafely despite threats by managers.

    If LIALPA is going to take action it will be withdrawal of services, whether that be strike or sick-out. Nothing less than a complete cut-off is safe, and I KNOW that LIAT’s pilots will not operate unsafely.

    I was previously Secretary of LIALPA for eight years, and I can tell you the stuff I saw coming out of management was just horrendous. In the past management has been extremely unprofessional – especially when certain opportunistic piliots were in management – and I could not imagine that anything would be any different now.

    For almost two decades I have been urging the PMs – behind the scenes – to change their ways, stop the repeated insanity, and appoint a professional to run the airline, but at some point anyone with a brain would realise they are beating their head against a brick wall and walk away.

    Now we hear that Riefer-Jones – incompetent as a CFO – is first in line to be appointed as CEO, as if LIAT is simply a production line for idiots. Running an airline takes decades of experience – running airlines, not tinkering in the background – and the more international experience the better.

    But the way LIAT is operating, it will not be long before a janitor who started at LIAT 20 years ago will have enough seniority to be CEO… that certainly seemed to be case with the last complete dimwit out of the most remote dungeons at British Airways.

    With this repeated financial fiasco the time for the PMs to make up their minds is here. Either do LIAT properly or close it down, it really is that simple. An airline this size is too expensive to the taxpayers to have as a political toy to kick around – no matter WHAT the incompetent bumbling power-mad Marxist Comrade in the immediate west says.

  21. Gabriel Avatar
    Gabriel

    James
    LIAT turned a profit in the latter years of Brian Challenger and that’s not long ago

  22. James Lynch Avatar
    James Lynch

    So we should be calling him “Sheerluck” Challenger? Brian – an Antiguan – spent many years on the Board, and after he moved to the CEO positionI have my doubts LIAT actually made a profit in those years – I was flying for LIAT at the time. He was then sent to a dimplomatic position in southern South America – far away from any consequences.

    In all the years I was at or around LIAT, I never heard the words “creative accounting” mentioned so often before or since.

    Also such phrases as “No good deed goes unpunished”. Working for LIAT is to be introduced to a very abusive management system. One Antiguan in LIAT was even separated from his position and sent to work inside Head Office to ensure that certain politicians’ commands were carried out. He became known as the “Political Commissar”, and had free rein to examine any documents he felt like looking at.

    The point is, LIAT is AGAIN on the edge of a financial cliff and THINGS MUST CHANGE.

  23. Gabriel Avatar
    Gabriel

    As I have said LIAT is too dominated by Antiguan political parties both dominant parties using the carrier to dispense and command favours.It’s a feature others seem unable to break up.

  24. David Avatar
    David

    @James

    In no way was the comment meant to cast aspersions sully the reputation of the LIAT pilot association. The point worth repeating is that the peace of mind of ANY worker is bound to be negatively affected if their financial situation is stressed because of tardy processing of salaries.

  25. James Lynch Avatar
    James Lynch

    That may not still hold. BUT moving the Head Office to Barbados is impractical, no matter how you cut it. The BCAD is ill equipped to oversee even the few airplanes they have now, far less add 10 with advanced technology – they would be so far out of their depth they would drown.

    The few people they do have are not qualified, and the position of Director has not been advertised for nearly two decades – I have been watching it personally. Every time a Director retires they just slam in the next Air Traffic Controller who they know will do as he is told, even if he has no qualifications for the job whatsoever.

    Category 1? Don’t make me fall off my chair…

    After 10 years blabbing about it the various Ministers for International Business STILL have not emplaced the necessary legislation for a CAA – and building a fortress for it at Charnocks makes no difference at all.

    On top of which, Antigua has bureaucratic and tax structures which do not interfere with the smooth running of the airline. Imagine NOT having to stand in line for six hours to get something minor approved.

    Now add the Barbados Central Bank’s disgustingly snail-like behaviour when it comes to funds coming and going, and how in Heaven’s name would a LIAT based in Barbados get anything done?

    With Barbados as majority shareholder and the Head Office in Barbados, there would be a steady trail of Ministers and Permanent Secretaries interfering with everything from jobs to free travel to just walking about as if they owned the place and getting in everyone’s way. That does NOT happen in Antigua, no matter how little you may think of them.

  26. James Lynch Avatar
    James Lynch

    I did not take it that way, David, I was just making it clear that – as far as LIALPA is concerned – either you will have pilots operating at 100%, or you will not have pilots.

    LIALPA pilots work to a specific contract, and just about never step outside that document. They are strong because they act and speak with one voice, and they expect each other to be professional and give 100% any time they are at work.

  27. Gabriel Avatar
    Gabriel

    Errol Barrow, Bree St John and PS Ian Archer had a special interest in aviation.Since those have moved on there seems to be no one in the succeeding governments with that interest and knowledge.The current malaise is not beyond redemption.

  28. James Lynch Avatar
    James Lynch

    Redemption will really come when they recognise that they can make more in taxes by supporting and encouraging aviation than by using it as a cash cow and killing it altogether. NO airline wants to have anything to do with Barbados because of 1. the CAD, 2. the stifling bureaucracy, 3. the restriction of currency and 4. the excessive taxes.

    Once upon a time they used to talk about how the investment in LIAT has a “multiplier effect” through the country because of the transportation feeding tourism and business, now they are unable to talk because they are so intent on stuffing their faces with the cash grab from fees and airport taxes. They are making Barbados LESS desirable for every day that passes.

    HOW the hell did Barbados make a decision to buy more shares to reach more than 50%? The original concept was for the shareholders to own EQUAL shares – Antigua still owns about 34%, when the hell happened to inflate Barbados (50.4%) and deflate St. Vincent (about 11%)? I don’t personally remember any public discussion about that, which sets me back in the impression that these politicians see LIAT as their personal property instead of stewards of the nation’s resources (taxpayer monies).

    Fat Ralph in SVG is running LIAT and only has to pay 11% of the losses while the Jackass Fumbler Barbados is hands-off and has to find 50% of the losses. Then Bajans want to riot in the streets BECAUSE THEY WANT MORE OF THE DEBT.

    LIAT management thinks my slighting St. Lucia and Grenada by withdrawing services they are pleasing their political masters, while in fact they are discarding 20% of the market (and profits) with some outer-space argument that those islands won’t pay for shares so they must be costing LIAT money.

    Does Barbados own shares in AA, AC, DL, BA or any of the others? Because by that flawed argument those airlines should all abandon Barbados for lack of ownership.

    What does ownership have to do with profits? If those “rogue” islands are costing LIAT profits it is purely because that same incompetent management has not costed or priced the fares properly. The passengers do not just decide the fares as they feel like, LIAT does.

    The higher monkey climb, the more he show his ass. That goes for all, CFO and politicians alike.

    This whole LIAT BS annoys the crap out of me. Taxpayers already stretched beyond reason to pay for LIAT, when merely doing things properly – with airline professionals – and pulling the politicians completely out of LIAT’s ass would actually tend to make a profit and put something back into the country coffers.

  29. Gabriel Avatar
    Gabriel

    Correction
    ………since they have moved on………

  30. Gabriel Avatar
    Gabriel

    The interesting thing about LIAT is that it is appropriately placed to be an example of a federal oversight entity and conglomerates like Massy,Ansa,Banks,Goddards,SOL and those companies with a Caribbean niche market ought to step up to the plate and use their profits to enhance a Regional channel connecting its markets.They should also put aside part of their profits to introduce ferry and shipping services.That is what these two bit politicians should get together and force these big players to do as a quid pro quo.Instead we had Manning joining with Massy’s Lok Jak(who,probably drunk with his success of hoodwinking OSA to sell BS&T to the TnT conglomerate spoke to the press from his yacht)conspiring to close down a 60 year old Caribbean carrier in ’07,

  31. James Lynch Avatar
    James Lynch

    Neither Bajan nor Trinidadian businessmen are about to put funds aside for ANY regional initiative unless they can directly see a profit in it for themselves – personal and companies. And forget about the politicians, IMHO the ONLY real statesman I have seen in the region for the last 20 years (at least) is PM Roosevelt Skerrit of Dominica.

    The rest are self-centered braying jackasses – Fat Ralph will teif every penny for himself, Fumble will “sleep on it”, Chastanet will kick it over to Trinidad, Gaston will want to know what is in it for him and all his Party buddies, and so on and so on and so on. That whole corruption thing has just surfaced again in Antigua, and it stinks.

    As far as I am concerned we need to pressure the politicians to start at the beginning. Get rid of the current Board, install people at all levels who know what they are doing, and turn the company around first. Once it is making a profit then we can look at what the possibilities are for regional administration, but always recognise that all these petty “Kings” in their “Kingdoms” are not about to give up a square inch of “their territories” to anyone else’s “rule” – that’s already why CARICOM cannot get anywhere.

  32. Gabriel Avatar
    Gabriel

    I sure agree with your analysis especially the Kings and the kingdoms.The ES Caribbean is the most governed area on earth.Every few miles you meet a GG,a PM,a garrison of ministers,a flag,an anthem and debt.

  33. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ James Lynch
    Much respect in your fight against LIAT brass bowlery.

    If it is any consolation, LIAT is not unique, what probably is uniqu, is that someone like you cares enough to be seriously indignant at the shiite.

  34. Artaxerxes Avatar
    Artaxerxes

    Gabriel April 4, 2017 at 7:47 PM #

    “……..we had Manning joining with Massy’s Lok Jak(who,probably drunk with his success of hoodwinking OSA to sell BS&T to the TnT conglomerate spoke to the press from his yacht)…………..”

    @ Gabriel

    Would you mind explaining how “Massy’s Lok Jak hoodwinked OSA to sell BS&T to the TnT conglomerate?

    According to all available information, BS&T was a private company and was not owned by the Crown?

    Was the sale of BS&T not authorized by its shareholders?

  35. Gabriel Avatar
    Gabriel

    Arta
    It couldn’t be achieved without the connivance of OSA.Ask sirrallan the next time you see him.Further,don’t forget the statement of the lying king Tomps in waiting…..if the ink en dry on the agreement,he gine stop it…..

  36. Tell me Why Avatar
    Tell me Why

    Gabriel. What nonsense you smoking. BS&T was a private entity, neither the GOB was a shareholder nor OSA. So it is totally unlikely for either to deliberate in its sale. However, one or more Massy shareholder might have been on BS&T’s Board and may have influenced the other shareholders to sell since other players were emerging and the returns on investment were financially rewarding at the time.

  37. Gabriel Avatar
    Gabriel

    Tell me Why
    You should know there are controls in place when a singular citizen uses his funds to buy a foreign based commodity.You should know also that there are controls in place for cross border transactions.Ask sirallan how often and why OSA used to call him in the very wee hours of the morning to move that deal along.One of our major reasons for being backward is the fact that every regional state acts in its own interest and further there is nothing in the Caricom set up that facilitates ease of ownership of publicly traded companies.We have a long way to go to becoming significant traders.Grace Kennedy probably carries a bigger profile in Canada and the U.K. than in its own backyard.A common currency would be a good start.

  38. Tell me Why Avatar
    Tell me Why

    Gabriel. You still missing the point. We are not interested in if OSA called anyone. The facts are: Shareholders will have to make that determination. Directors will also have to make that determination. Forget cross border transaction when owners are dead serious of getting rid of an entity not a man can stop the sale.

  39. James Lynch Avatar
    James Lynch

    On the BS&T sale, my information – from before it was sold – was that the top man there was paid bigger bucks than we mere mortals can dream about to “facilitate” the sale. So it was an inside job, whether anybody here likes it or not, he was obviously made an offer he could not refuse – and now Barbados is the worse off.

    It makes long-term sense for a Trinidadian manufacturer to pay above-market price for a business in Barbados, and then shut down that company’s manufacturing here so that the goods made in Trinidad have a larger market. Makes no sense to us – people laid off, duties and taxes and shipping added to the costs – but why would a Trini manufacturer give a rat’s ass about us, especially if they have a monopoly on that particular goods?

    My question then – and still is – why are Trinidadians out buying up properties in the islands when they could be investing most of that money at home? Are we all to become second-class citizens in a host of other sister-islands like Tobago in the Republic of T&T&A&B&C&D&S&&&?

  40. Gabriel Avatar
    Gabriel

    Tell me
    The deal could not be sealed without the involvement of the regulators.I give you the last word.

  41. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ James Lynch
    Are we all to become second-class citizens in a host of other sister-islands like Tobago in the Republic of T&T&A&B&C&D&S&&&?
    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
    You can obviously see beyond the brass.

    They even brand themselves as ‘One Caribbean’…. But the rest of us are too consumed in wage increases, brand names, and bling ….to care about tomorrow.

    @ Tell me Why
    Shareholders will have to make that determination.
    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
    What shareholders what??!!
    …you mean the collection of brass bowls like those who sold their BL&P shares…and four years later have nothing to show?
    …or those who were about to sell their banks shares for next to nothing – based on advice from their Board – before market forces saved them from complete embarrassment – like happened to BL&P shareholders? … (how much is an EMERA share worth nowadays?)

    A cartel of greed-monsters are driving decisions in this world, to the devastating detriment of the 99% majority of sheeple who have no clue of what has befallen them….

    The end result will NOT be pleasant.

  42. Tell me Why Avatar
    Tell me Why

    Bushie. I agree with you that the selling of any entity is motivated within. Short term riches don’t last forever. No Government can stop a company from selling or relocating.

  43. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    Emera (Caribbean) Inc. (EC) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Emera.

    “EC is parent company of Barbados Light & Power (BLPC) in Barbados

    majority shareholder in Dominica Electricity Services Ltd. (DOMLEC),

    and an investor in St. Lucia Electricity Services Ltd. (LUCELEC) in St. Lucia.”

  44. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    The new slavery.

  45. de pedantic Dribbler Avatar
    de pedantic Dribbler

    @Hal Austin at 4:11 PM re “The new slavery.” Interesting and as usual emotive observation.

    So is that to suggest that last time around we had a clear choice and were willing in our enslavement as was the case with the sale of majority shares in BS&T, BLP, BNB et al…

    …or is it to say that this time around we also had no choice in the matter due to the ‘prevailing might’ of those buying and trading!

    Or rather is it as brother Bob said related to then and now that we have to emancipate ourselves from mental slavery!

  46. NorthernObserver Avatar
    NorthernObserver

    “On the BS&T sale, my information – from before it was sold – was that the top man there was paid bigger bucks than we mere mortals can dream about to “facilitate” the sale. So it was an inside job,”

    I suspect this is not accurate. Why? The BS&T was reasonably widely held amongst several people/families. It wasn’t like one block could say yeah, and the rest had to follow suit. Now, the CEO may have had a contract whereby he benefited substantially from a sale which was approved, and hence in his financial interests to push for a sale. Nor did that CEO own any controlling block of shares.

  47. James Lynch Avatar
    James Lynch

    My inside info was that the Chairman made every effort and pushed every button to ensure that the Trinidadians would buy the holding company BS&T.

    And as we all know he was one of the last of the “Good Old Boys”, so it is more than reasonable to accept that a huge amount of internal bullying went on to ensure that the Big Boss had his way.

    BS&T was also a PUBLIC company – NOT a private company held by families, it was also on the stock exchange – so as Chairman it was pre-eminently his place to make a recommendation to the shareholders whether to sell or not, and I am assured he was paid handsomely for that.

  48. David Avatar
    David

    @James

    The BS&T transition was a deal, no doubt about it.

  49. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ de dribbler
    …..is it to say that this time around we also had no choice in the matter due to the ‘prevailing might’ of those buying and trading!
    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
    Boss, the situation is almost identical.

    Last time, naive and often clueless brazen bowls were loaded onto ships and transhipped to four centuries of brutal slavery on slave plantations….while a few black traitors pocketed their pieces of silver.
    They did not stand a chance – having been betrayed by high-level jackasses who they probably trusted, and cruel, greedy albino-centric demons who untold riches as a result of the inhumanity.

    This time, greedy, simple-minded, clueless brass bowls are being dispossessed of all state assets, stripped of any facilities to feed themselves or to manufacture goods, ….and are being herded back into serfdom on the modern plantations owned by the grand children of the same demons that exploited our grandparents…. while a few bribe-taking traitors bank their blood money and – like the last PM, await their Karma…

    It is hard to believe that we actually studied history …and KNOW all about the modus operandi of the demons…. and yet allow ourselves to be subjected to this ‘deja vous’ all over again….

  50. NorthernObserver Avatar
    NorthernObserver

    Massy….then Neal & Massy…had accumulated nearly 25% of the outstanding BS&T shares. Whether the Chairman recommended, and potentially ‘bullied’ shareholders, the other shareholders did not HAVE to sell? (until Massy had acquired a greater percentage)
    The share price got “bid up”, and there were several other companies who looked at it and were not willing to bid.
    And aren’t these “collectively” the same bunch who sold a similar significant minority holding in Banks to AmBev at $4, when AmBev bought the rest at over $7/share? And wasn’t the initial $4 offer by Ambev recommended by BHL?

    The question you may ask is how did N&M acquire 25%? And were they not approaching several other of the larger shareholders to sell? And what was the situation with BS&T re-acquiring outstanding shares? Methinks certain shareholders wanted out. I cannot describe that as an “inside job”. Sometimes you cannot stay ahead of the curve.

    Now if the Board had delivered the remaining shareholders to N&M on a platter, such that there was no external bidding, then one may make nefarious charges.

    Several of these conglomerates get “fat”, and if management does not trim the pounds, somebody else will do it for you.

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