Mismanagement at LIAT can’t be tolerated – Arnhim Eustace

The depth of the mismanagement within LIAT is unacceptable and one which cannot be tolerated for much longer.

This assertion came from leader of the Opposition New Democratic Party Arnhim Eustace on Monday during his weekly talk show New Times on Nice Radio.{{more}}

Eustace recounted a recent experience with LIAT where he arrived at his destination about three hours later than expected.

He said, however, what annoyed him most about the situation was the level of discourtesy shown the passengers.

“What annoyed me is the absence of the courtesy of saying to the passengers ‘listen we have a problem, this is the problem, we would not be able to depart until maybe such and such a time’. But nothing.”

Eustace noted that there are many issues with the governance of LIAT and how the almost 60-year-old company is run.

“When a company is 60 years old, one expects that most of its problems could be matters that could be dealt with, whatever they are.

“When we look at LIAT today, one can see no improvement. We see a company that is in very bad shape, a company where there is a problem virtually either in public relations or management… or technical problems. Every day you are hearing something,” he stated.

The Opposition Leader also stated that Prime Minster Dr Ralph Gonsalves had been giving the public the impression that operations within LIAT are getting better when they actually are not.

“That’s a joke, things are not getting better, they are getting worse.

“A few years ago he announced that airline was considering moving into the jet age and that consideration could soon be given to fly to even Miami and Panama. In typical fashion, all of that is just empty talk,” Eustace noted.

Within the last few weeks many persons were left stranded, due to delayed flights and most recently an alleged cockroach infestation.

Following these disruptions in the travel schedule, a letter was sent to LIAT by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Security Godfred Pompey, requesting “an urgent meeting in St Vincent and the Grenadines” to discuss “the lack of adequate service and poor scheduling” to this country.

The meeting was scheduled to take place on Wednesday, September 14.

Eustace asked, however, why no complaints were made when LIAT was taken off its schedule to take part in what he described as a ‘political stunt’ during the last general elections.

“You take it off for political purposes, an airline which is in serious difficulty, not meeting the requirements of our customers, but you took it for a political stunt into an airport that is far from finished.”

The Opposition Leader stated that he is of the belief that the regional aircraft is suffering from “high levels political interference”.

“Gonsalves has consistently refused to allow Caribbean Airlines to fly into St Vincent, even though we already have a long-standing air services agreement with Trinidad.”

He also asked if it is because of political interference why there is such a high turnover of chief executive officers (CEO).

“Why is it that a new CEO has not been appointed since the last one left some months ago? Why is it that an airline owned by shareholder governments gives no account of its operations to the public? No financial statements are published; why is that Gonsalves, why is that?” Eustace questioned.

The Opposition Leader is of the impression that there should be an open skies policy in St Vincent and the Grenadines. (CM)