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PRIME Minister Bruce Golding has questioned the timing of a recent detention of a Caribbean Airlines plane in Barbados at a time when pressure is being brought against Jamaica to allow REDjet to fly into the island.
Golding said he was disturbed by reports he received recently that the Caribbean Airlines plane was "harassed" in Barbados.
GOLDING… that is not the way that any Government will ever be able to get the Government that I lead to respond
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"What I am told took place two days ago when a Caribbean Airlines plane was held up; don't want to use the word detained, and the suspicion is that it is an aggressive action and I hope it is not, because that is not the way we in Caricom must resolve Caricom issues," Golding said Saturday.
The prime minister, who was addressing a Jamaica Labour Party high-level meeting at the Jamaica Conference Centre in downtown, Kingston, said the Barbados-based REDjet had tried to fly to Jamaica when Air Jamaica was still around, but permission was denied as he was not prepared for the Lovebird planes to "start dropping out of the sky".
He said that with the conclusion of the recent arrangements for Caribbean Airlines to acquire Air Jamaica, pressure is new being brought to bear for REDjet to be allowed to fly into Jamaica.
Golding said that with REDjet now being regarded by the Barbadian Government as its national carrier, there is an insistence that they be allowed to fly into Jamaica pursuant to the Open Skies Agreement as well as the provisions of the Treaty of Chagaramus.
"...That is not the way that any Government will ever be able to get the Government that I lead to respond; I am not unaccustomed to being faced down by a foreign Government but I have a face too and Jamaica's interest must always be harmonised with external partners, but must never be sacrificed," said a tough-talking Golding.
He explained further that he has since communicated to Transport Minister Mike Henry his intention to have dialogue on the matter with both the Trinidad and Tobago and the Barbados prime ministers by today.
"We are not saying approval will not be granted but in the spirit of the collaboration that saw the closure of the deal with Caribbean Airline that decision has to await the appropriate consultation," he explained.
Last week, the Barbados tourism minister Richard Sealy came out in support of the low-cost budget carrier, saying it was important for there to be other players within the aviation industry in the Caribbean.
He said that the Government fully supports REDjet in its efforts to become operational and "we continue to engage at every level to see to it that REDjet becomes a reality".
In April, REDjet announced US$9.99 fares between Barbados and Guyana, Trinidad and Jamaica for flights that were originally scheduled to commence on May 8.
But the airline has been experiencing administrative problems in Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica and has had to cancel its operations for a period. The airline, which now services the Barbados to Guyana route, has also not been able to fly to the United States.
Meanwhile, Golding reiterated that although Jamaica took a 16 per cent stake in Caribbean Airlines, it was written in the agreement that Government will not be required to put up any further capital or absorb any loss.
"So if the airline find that it needs to increase capital it has to come from Trinidad," he said.
Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/...#ixzz1PCLSEoV5
Golding said he was disturbed by reports he received recently that the Caribbean Airlines plane was "harassed" in Barbados.
GOLDING… that is not the way that any Government will ever be able to get the Government that I lead to respond
1/1
"What I am told took place two days ago when a Caribbean Airlines plane was held up; don't want to use the word detained, and the suspicion is that it is an aggressive action and I hope it is not, because that is not the way we in Caricom must resolve Caricom issues," Golding said Saturday.
The prime minister, who was addressing a Jamaica Labour Party high-level meeting at the Jamaica Conference Centre in downtown, Kingston, said the Barbados-based REDjet had tried to fly to Jamaica when Air Jamaica was still around, but permission was denied as he was not prepared for the Lovebird planes to "start dropping out of the sky".
He said that with the conclusion of the recent arrangements for Caribbean Airlines to acquire Air Jamaica, pressure is new being brought to bear for REDjet to be allowed to fly into Jamaica.
Golding said that with REDjet now being regarded by the Barbadian Government as its national carrier, there is an insistence that they be allowed to fly into Jamaica pursuant to the Open Skies Agreement as well as the provisions of the Treaty of Chagaramus.
"...That is not the way that any Government will ever be able to get the Government that I lead to respond; I am not unaccustomed to being faced down by a foreign Government but I have a face too and Jamaica's interest must always be harmonised with external partners, but must never be sacrificed," said a tough-talking Golding.
He explained further that he has since communicated to Transport Minister Mike Henry his intention to have dialogue on the matter with both the Trinidad and Tobago and the Barbados prime ministers by today.
"We are not saying approval will not be granted but in the spirit of the collaboration that saw the closure of the deal with Caribbean Airline that decision has to await the appropriate consultation," he explained.
Last week, the Barbados tourism minister Richard Sealy came out in support of the low-cost budget carrier, saying it was important for there to be other players within the aviation industry in the Caribbean.
He said that the Government fully supports REDjet in its efforts to become operational and "we continue to engage at every level to see to it that REDjet becomes a reality".
In April, REDjet announced US$9.99 fares between Barbados and Guyana, Trinidad and Jamaica for flights that were originally scheduled to commence on May 8.
But the airline has been experiencing administrative problems in Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica and has had to cancel its operations for a period. The airline, which now services the Barbados to Guyana route, has also not been able to fly to the United States.
Meanwhile, Golding reiterated that although Jamaica took a 16 per cent stake in Caribbean Airlines, it was written in the agreement that Government will not be required to put up any further capital or absorb any loss.
"So if the airline find that it needs to increase capital it has to come from Trinidad," he said.
Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/...#ixzz1PCLSEoV5
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