PM Gonsalves threatens to cut off LIAT support

If service offered by regional aircraft LIAT is not significantly improved in the next week there will be no new injection of funds from St Vincent and the Grenadines.

This announcement came from Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves in a press release sent yesterday.

Following a week of delayed and cancelled flights, a letter was sent by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Security Godfred Pompey demanding an “an urgent meeting in St Vincent and the Grenadines” to discuss “the lack of adequate service and poor scheduling” to this country, which was held here on Wednesday.{{more}}

During the meeting, the Prime Minister highlighted a number of challenges, including:”Lack of information on delays and cancellation of flights to the travelling public since the central mandate of LIAT is to provide the best possible service with the equipment available. The company must seek to carry out the mandate of the Shareholder Government and the Board of Directors in that the decisions made by shareholders are not fully implemented by the management of LIAT.”

In order to ensure that within a week’s time service would improve, Gonsalves requested that LIAT: “Review the schedule of flights in and out of St. Vincent and the Grenadines within one week to better serve the travelling public. This includes a 6:15 a.m. flight out of E.T. Joshua to Barbados and the 8:55 p.m. flight from Trinidad and Tobago; Notify the airport authorities by 9:00 p.m. about the need for any extension beyond the operating hours of the airport; Review the turnaround time of aircrafts with a view to reducing the delays in operation of flights; Consider favourably, a return of the direct Puerto Rico-SVG flight; Improve Customer Service by providing more information to the travelling public in relation to flight delays and cancellations.”

Both parties were satisfied with the outcome of the discussions and the travelling public should look forward to an enhanced service as promised by LIAT.