Hector backs LIAT move

Publication: Daily Nation
Date: Tue, May 13, 1997
Page: 13
Byline: Terry Ally

THE OPPOSITION United Progressive Party of Antigua has given thumbs up to LIAT for its planned move to return its hub to Barbados.

Deputy leader, Senator Tim Hector, said the plan would be one of the most financially sensible and realistic moves by the regional carrier.

"It (the move) recognises that LIAT is spending $6 million because it has to keep pilots overnighting in Barbados," he told the Daily Nation while in Barbados last weekend to attend a Caribbean/United States Summit parallel event.

"If we are going to rationalise air services in the Caribbean, I think this is an essential and vital step that LIAT has taken."

However, Hector felt that LIAT should go further by rationalising the relations between Air Jamaica and BWIA, to create "one clear regional carrier".

"I think that (moving the hub to Barbados) is a step in that direction and therefore I applaud it."

The Antiguan parliamentarian dismissed any notion of negative fall-out for his country.

"I think that when it is examined, like all progressive moves in any organisation, it doesn't lead to any downsizing in Antigua at all; that what they will find, in fact, is that it will lead to an upsizing in financial returns, and there will be no suffering to Antigua. That argument, in my opinion, fell through the window ages ago."

He said there was a tremendous amount of traffic in Barbados and warned that if it was not picked up by LIAT, then it was likely to be taken by another carrier, to the detriment of LIAT.

In preparation for anticipated competition from Carib Express airline in 1995, LIAT moved to consolidate its operation, and part of which was to relocate its hub from Barbados to Antigua. Carib Express, which lifted off in February 1996, collapsed months afterwards, leaving LIAT as the single largest intra-regional carrier.