Boss urges focus on airlifting produce
Date: Thu 01-Jul-1993
Paper Page: 16
Publication: Daily Nation
MANAGING DIRECTOR of the St. Vincent-based Eastern Caribbean Agencies Limited,
Douglas De Freitas, says any restructuring of the regional airline system must
take into account the movement of agricultural produce especially from the
Windward Islands.
"I think all those persons in authority have lost sight of the importance
of the agricultural sector of the economy . . . and this creates a lot of
problems with regard to movement of agricultural produce," De Freitas said.
He said that in the case of the regional commuter airline, LIAT, this has led to
the placing into service of aircraft unsuited for the movement of agricultural
goods.
"The type of aircraft available for charter in this region are domestic
passenger-type aircraft and its very difficult for persons to charter their
aircraft at a cost that it would be cost-effective for moving agricultural
freight. What we need is to have an aircraft that can handle a fair amount of
cargo and also cater for passengers."
De Freitas said the lack of proper planning for the movement of agricultural
produce by air has led to a loss of confidence within the farming sector and
created a bad image of exporters who could not be consistent with supplies.
The governments would be failing the region, he said if they did not put into
operation the correct type of aircraft that would handle not only passengers,
but also agricultural cargo, bearing in mind that some countries are heavily
dependent on agriculture. (CANA)