BRIDGETOWN (CMC):
TWO REGIONAL shareholder governments on Sunday sent a strong warning that "it cannot be business as usual" at LIAT, even as they expressed their continued support for the loss-making regional air carrier.
At the same time, the struggling airline is seeking US$10 million in immediate support to put it back on track.
"Decisions have to be made in short order," warned Prime Minister Owen Arthur of Barbados.
TALKS
Arthur also sent a stern message to LIAT officials on the first day of the New Year that they must "make every day count", after he and his Vincentian colleague, Ralph Gonsalves, met in Bridgetown for close to four hours behind closed doors with top LIAT officials to discuss the future viability of the airline.
The LIAT meeting ended in the establishment of a small technical committee, which has been given until today to devise a new financing proposal for the airline. The governments said the proposal is still strategically important to them, but urgently in need of two additional planes, as well as hard cash to finance its operations and ongoing restructuring programme.
