Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley has revealed that six air carriers have expressed interest in taking over LIAT’s travel routes, in wake of the carrier’s current financial challenge. They are SVG Air, One Caribbean, Caribbean Airlines, InterCaribbean Airways, Silver Airways and Air Antilles.
The issue of regional air travel was discussed as St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves assumed chairmanship of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) from outgoing chair Mottley during a virtual handing over ceremony.
Mottley explained that the announcement was made because citizens within the region are concerned over the absence of interregional transport as LIAT is liquidated.
Mottley said: “LIAT has been for us, a critical part of our history, it has allowed Caribbean people to move but there also is a time when those instruments that served us well in the past may not be the right instruments for us going forward.”
She explained that if the board of directors did not liquidate the insolvent airline they would then be guilty of fraudulent trading.
Mottley said the CARICOM stakeholders were however, satisfied that the six airlines could more than fill the immediate gap, given the reduced travel due to the COVID-19 measures implemented to contain the spread of the virus.
She said CARICOM hopes to work with the six airlines and other private sector players who also expressed interest in working either on their own or with some of the existing players to fill the gap in airlift.
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