- LIAT 2020 moves closer to taking to the skies: PM Browne
Antigua Prime Minister Gaston Browne said regional shareholder governments in the now-defunct LIAT (1975) Limited have agreed to sell at least three planes to LIAT 2020, enabling the inter-regional airline’s debut.
Browne called the measure “significant” because it would help the new airline launched in conjunction with Air Peace, a 2013 Nigerian private carrier, transition smoothly.
He estimated the new airline would launch in 60–90 days.
Within the last couple of days, all heads of shareholding nations have approved the sale of their planes or aircraft to Antigua and Barbuda, and I suppose the administrator (Cleveland Seaforth) is seeking a court hearing to ratify the arrangement.
The Caribbean Development Bank agreed. We are now a little closer to acquiring those aircraft, he said, adding that “we would be paying a total US$12.1 million to acquire the aircraft and we will have to spend I believe at least another eight million US dollars to get them fully operational
Late last year, Browne said his administration had expressed its willingness to spend $15–20 million in the new enterprise.
He added Antigua and Barbuda opposed LIAT (1974) Ltd.’s collapse after Barbados and St. Vincent and the Grenadines opted to do so due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Browne has denied that his administration will negotiate 100% severance payments to former LIAT staff.
“We won’t talk to them if they want 100%. We cannot take a 100% free payment. This is a gratuity, exgratia, sympathy, or other payment, not a severance.
Our percentage is at 32%. If the union wants to talk about the 32% compassionate payment, we will, Browne added. “I have also indicated in the past that this offer will not remain indefinitely”.
