“Bold and Brave”…St. Vincent PM Lauds PM Browne as LIAT 20 Takes Flight to St. Vincent

St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves has hailed Antigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister Gaston Browne as a “bold and brave man” for his unwavering commitment to reviving LIAT.

The commendation came as LIAT 20 celebrated its inaugural flight to St. Vincent and the Grenadines yesterday evening.

Gonsalves told Antigua.news on the sidelines of the inauguration ceremony that, “Gaston is a bold and brave man, so he had to give it a shot. He would have preferred to fail doing it than not to try at all,” Gonsalves declared at the launch event, underscoring Browne’s determination in the face of scepticism.

Addressing the journey that led to this moment, Gonsalves revealed, “I don’t believe that ministers were against Gaston trying with LIAT 20. As I said, they were doubting Thomas’s, not that they were against, they wanted to see how the man can pull this off.”

He credited the success to Browne’s tenacity and the crucial involvement of West African investors, who helped turn the vision into reality.

Gonsalves acknowledged that while the airline hasn’t reached its “optimal point” yet, this launch represents a significant start.

He hinted at the possibility of additional equity partners or support systems in the future, emphasizing LIAT’s importance to the region.

“I have no doubt, as LIAT expands, there may be a call, perhaps, from other shareholders, other kinds of support, but you can rely on St. Vincent to be there with you as you expand this airline,” Gonsalves stated.

The St. Vincent PM also addressed the contentious issue of severance payments to former LIAT employees. When asked about joining Antigua’s offer of 32 percent severance payment, Gonsalves referred to it as, “not an unreasonable one.”

He expressed hope for resolving all outstanding issues, mentioning he was awaiting a final report from the administrator to address the situation in St. Vincent.

This development comes after a tumultuous period for the original LIAT. The airline, which had served the Caribbean for decades, ended its operations in July 2020 when it was placed under administration due to financial difficulties exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic.

In 2022, the shareholder governments of Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Barbados, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines agreed to liquidate the company.

However, recognizing LIAT’s crucial role in regional transportation, the Antigua and Barbuda government sought to keep the airline operational under the new name.

Despite initial challenges in garnering support from other sub-regional governments, they eventually agreed with Nigerian airline Air Peace.