Mum’s the word on Air J crisis

[Lazie]

Senior government officials are still mum following confirmation that the entire board of directors at Air Jamaica was asked to resign and a new board is to be re-constituted. The nation awoke to the news Wednesday morning and an air of mystery has surrounded the matter all day as officials generally abstained from comment.

However, at least one Board member went on the record about certain aspects of the Air Jamaica saga.
Marcia Forbes said she got what she described as a very cordial letter on Tuesday from Minister Without Portfolio in the Finance Ministry Senator Don Wehby.

That letter asked her to hand in her resignation by Monday next week.
She said she has no problem complying with the Minister's request.
Mrs Forbes, who preferred not to give a recorded interview, said she tried her best to address some of the internal and external communications problems she found at the airline.

Mistrust
Specifically she said she was interested in changing the culture of fear, mistrust and misinformation that permeated the Lovebird's systems and affected the management/staff relations and the airline's public image.
Senator Wehby, who left the island Tuesday night for meetings in Washington, is to meet with the board members on his return to the island Friday.

Finance Minister Audley Shaw, who left the island earlier this week, is scheduled to return Wednesday night.

Information Minister had no infor on Air J
Efforts by RJR News to reach Board Chairman Shirley Williams were unsuccessful as she had not turned up at her office.
Calls to her cellular phones went unanswered.
Other calls to the Office of the Prime Minister also yielded little success as officers there could not comment on the issue.

However, Information Minister Olivia "Babsy" Grange told reporters at Wednesday morning's post Cabinet media briefing that she was not aware of board members being forced to resign.
"As far as I know, the board has not been disbanded," she said.
Ms Grange said Senator Wehby will make a statement on the issue when he returns to the island.

Cash saving effort
RJR sources said the need for a speedy turnaround in the airline's financial status was at the core of the decision to sack the board.
It is understood that the board will be reconstituted with Executive Chairman Shirley Williams being given reduced powers.
This is expected to allow the airline to restructure in time for its March 2009 divestment.

RJR News understands that several entities have shown an interest in purchasing the airline and at present the due diligence is being done to determine the best candidate.

Earlier this week, Prime Minister Bruce Golding disclosed that Cabinet had signed off on the divestment of the cash strapped airline.
Opposition spokesman on Transport Robert Pickersgill said he will be making a statement on Air Jamaica in Parliament shortly, and as such, declined to comment on reports of the mass resignation.

[Mosiah]

It is understood that the board will be reconstituted with Executive Chairman Shirley Williams being given reduced powers.
This is expected to allow the airline to restructure in time for its March 2009 divestment.

Reduced powers? - like she can no longer order pilots to turn back for passengers and family members?

So, after the airline restructures for the 237th time, does Shirley vacate the premises then?

She needs to go. Now! Bruce would have screwed up royally if he fires the entire board except the chairman, executive or not.

[Lazie]

Reduced powers? - like she can no longer order pilots to turn back for passengers and family members?

So, after the airline restructures for the 237th time, does Shirley vacate the premises then?

She needs to go. Now! Bruce would have screwed up royally if he fires the entire board except the chairman, executive or not.

Mi kinda curious now. Yuh have issues with women Mosiah? Yuh have issues with Joan Gordon Wembley, yuh have issues with Shirley Williams, yuh have issues with Babsy Grange.

[Mosiah]

I also have issues with Daryl Vaz, Abe Dabdoub, AJ Nicholson, Bobby Pickersgill, Everald Warmington, Lazie (I assume you are a man), Bobby Montague and a countless other set of people. It doesn't surprise me that you would try and start something when you have nothing useful to say. But go ahead, if yuh tink a you one have broad back!

And throw Sharon Hay-Webster into that woman-hating mix too, Lazie!

[Lazie]

I also have issues with Daryl Vaz, Abe Dabdoub, AJ Nicholson, Bobby Pickersgill, Everald Warmington, Lazie (I assume you are a man), Bobby Montague and a countless other set of people. It doesn't surprise me that you would try and start something when you have nothing useful to say. But go ahead, if yuh tink a you one have broad back!

And throw Sharon Hay-Webster into that woman-hating mix too, Lazie!

Why mi nuh surprised you have issues with so many people? Now we affi wonder what the hell is wrong with you.

Requesting that the plane return to the gate is the reason for the current issues at Air Jamaica? Which family and friend she stopped plane for? Or as usual yuh jumping the gun? If thats the case, why fire the entire board and keep the person that commit the act? Did you read the article? I guess not ... yuh just see another reason to go after Shirley. You obviously have something for her.

[Mosiah]

Why mi nuh surprised you have issues with so many people? Now we affi wonder what the hell is wrong with you.

At least, with me, it don't matter if is shower or power.

Requesting that the plane return to the gate is the reason for the current issues at Air Jamaica? Which family and friend she stopped plane for? Or as usual yuh jumping the gun? If thats the case, why fire the entire board and keep the person that commit the act? Did you read the article? I guess not ... yuh just see another reason to go after Shirley. You obviously have something for her.

Use that brain before it atrophies. If she calls back a plane for someone she doesn't know, then what would she do for her peoples?!? Oh, this was the first and only time it happened. Yeah right!

Ask Bruce why him firing the entire board.

[Lazie]

At least, with me, it don't matter if is shower or power.



Use that brain before it atrophies. If she calls back a plane for someone she doesn't know, then what would she do for her peoples?!? Oh, this was the first and only time it happened. Yeah right!

Ask Bruce why him firing the entire board.

Seems as if you've perfected the art of making ASSumptions.

"At least, with me, it don't matter if is shower or power.

It isn't surprising you have alot to say now, but kept quiet when yuh idol sold the most profitable route the airline had.

[Mosiah]

Was my ASSumption of you correct?

[Lazie]

Was my ASSumption of you correct?

Stay pon topic ... this is about Air Jamaica and its board ... don't make it about Lazie. ASSume what you want about me ... it nuh really bother me.

[Lazie]

Support for Shirley - Board members say Air Jamaica chairman

Support for Shirley - Board members say Air Jamaica chairman doing good job despite difficulties

AT LEAST two members of the Air Jamaica board, who were this week asked to resign, are supporting chairman Shirley Williams, despite ongoing speculation that she was involved in a rift with board members.
Businesswoman Marcia Forbes said she was unaware of any kind of discrepancy between her colleagues and Williams.
"I would venture to say that probably everybody on the board fully supports Shirley and the work she has done," Forbes told The Gleaner yesterday.

Forbes continued that although there were times when indivi-duals disagreed with particular points during board meetings, she had never witnessed any confrontations or quarrels.
Piloting in 'bad weather'
Forbes further said Williams was piloting Air Jamaica in a direction that would have benefited the airline.

Forbes
"Air Jamaica is not an easy place to manage. To me, it's like peeling an onion and it has many, many layers and for each layer that you peel, sometimes, as with an onion, your eyes might tear," she said.
Forbes, who said she was on Tuesday informed of the resignation request from the minister with responsibility for Air Jamaica, Don Wehby, noted that she understood why he took the decision.
"There's no disappointment on my part. You give national service and you do what you can, and if the minister decides that he wants to rejig, then that is the minister's prerogative," she said.

Male chauvinism
The other board member backing Williams did not wish to be named. He told The Gleaner that the chairman had provided strong leadership and was doing a good job in a difficult situation.
According to the board member, it appeared Williams was falling victim to persons who were opposed to women serving in some positions.
The Gleaner was not able to make contact with Williams up to press time last night.

It is understood that a new board is to be in place in another few weeks.
On Monday, Prime Minister Bruce Golding told a meeting of the Jamaica Exporters' Association that Air Jamaica had racked up losses of US$170 million (J$12.07 billion), which could further increase this year.

[Lazie]

Gov’t pressured to axe Air Jamaica Executive Chairman

Pressure is mounting on the Golding administration for Executive Chairman of Air Jamaica Shirley Williams to be added to the list of the airline's Board members who are to be axed.

There have been reports that Miss Williams, who has been the head of Air Jamaica's Board since October last year, will be asked to stay on and lead the new group of directors to be appointed early next month.
This is not going down well with the People's National Party.
The Party says it would be improper for the administration to exclude Miss Williams from the other Directors who will be kicked from the Board effective Monday.

Opposition Spokesman on Transport Robert Pickersgill adds that if the decision is made to retain Miss Williams as Executive Chairman it would send mixed signals to other members of the Board.
"I would have some difficulty comprehending why all the other board members would be asked to resign and she asked to remain, I cannot reconcile that...I think that smacks of interference in the day to day running [of the airline]," said Mr. Pickersgill.

It is understood that the new Air Jamaica board will be reconstituted with Miss Williams being given reduced powers.
This is expected to allow the airline to restructure in time for its March 2009 divestment.
And Prime Minister Bruce Golding has hinted that it will not be business as usual at Air Jamaica.

Mr. Golding briefly touched on the Air Jamaica Board issue during his monthly Jamaica House Live call in programme on Wednesday night.
"And there are discussions that are to take place with the workers' representatives so I do not want to say too much about it. The airline has to be restructured, that's a case similar to JUTC, we have 12 planes with about 200 pilots so there are going to be some adjustments and we are going to work that out," said Mr. Golding.