LIAT workers still waiting for severance

Aabigayle McIntosh

Nearly three years have elapsed, and little progress can be reported regarding the overdue severance pay for former LIAT employees in Antigua.

While counterparts in neighboring regions have received some form of compensation, these individuals find themselves excluded, particularly in light of Prime Minister Gaston Browne’s statement that the government is only willing to provide 50 percent of the expected amount.

David Massiah, the General Secretary of the Antigua Barbuda Workers Union, communicated to Twin Island Media on Tuesday that the situation has not changed, and former employees are still holding out for improved prospects in the future. “There has been no movement and the Prime Minister has indicated he is not having any discussion with the Antigua and Barbuda Workers Union. We have continually written to them asking for us to have a dialogue on the process that has been advocated by the Prime Minister of this country and the way forward for him.

“We continue to hold out that the Prime Minister of this country along with the administrator of LIAT owes the country and the people a report as to what the administrator has yielded thus far,” Senator Massiah said.

According to him, when the process started a number of individuals were keen on working with the prime minister, but things have changed over time.

“We are still calling for the dialogue the union continues the workers are still asking what can be done, we are exploring the possibilities. The Prime Minister would have indicated take him to court and all of these things, that is not a government which represents Labour as they say”, he said.