Million dollar questions on BWIA

THE EDITOR: Conrad Aleong is out; it is house-cleaning time at BWIA starting with the two newly appointed executives running the road show. The Board of Directors, the Chairman and other directors who represent the private share-holders must go. Anyone travelling with Tobago Express will attest to the fact that the flights are most times late; the attitude of many of the attending employees is the pits.

You are only as good as the person you are playing with, and at BWIA, the dilution is complete. No new blood, so no new ideas. They take pride with an 80 percent On Time departure, even boldly posting it up at the inside gate entrance at Piarco. At any other airline, top management would be sent packing for this kind of performance. Many employees are only interested in personal gains, and don’t know what customer service is all about. To get the picture, try reporting a missing or broken luggage. Bench marking (comparing) BWIA with an airline of similar size anywhere in the world will show what a joke operation we have here. The pilot to aircraft ratio is about 20/1. (Largest in the world) Would you believe they have a large percentage of pilots who never fly a plane but collects a pilot’s salary?

It is total madness why they run a 24 hour operation, what a waste of resources. Is it because they have money to burn or a government to bail them out? Toronto, New York, Miami. Most time six hours to go, six hours to come back, one hour on the ground. Go in the morning; come back in the early evening. We don’t need a night shift (The same can be said about the Piarco Airport). Don’t shoot the bull about slot times. These airports peak times are early morning and in the evening, not lunchtime should BWIA planes be turning around. If this is a make work company and don’t want to put anyone out of work, why don’t we try cross training? We need more police, nurses, environmentalists, and labourers to build roads. It makes business sense to let the airline go under and then restart the operation under a new name and management. Select only the good employees. There are enough of them to run this operation efficiently. We boast about safest planes in the world, but that is only 10 percent of the hog. When are we going to get the other 90 percent?

To Mr Valley the million dollar questions are: Is the government going to do a proper forensic on BWIA? Why was 45 percent of Allied Caterers (Katerserv Ltd) sold for a measly $11 million dollars? (Comprising a $50 million dollar building, assets, Katerserv $36 million dollars realised profits, Offshore Contract, Pristine Water Bottling, BWIA Canteen Contract, and Contract Caterers). Was an Act of Parliament passed for the sale of this very valuable (The only jewel in the crown) government asset? (Government owns 49 percent of BWIA the parent company of Allied Caterers). Is there any wrongdoing at Allied Caterers (Katerserv) as has been alleged? Why were the aircraft leasing contracts placed in a maze, to fool whom? Were special exclusive privileges given out to ticket agent friends? Who are the shareholders of Tobago Express? Were any of them former BWIA board directors? (Insider Trading Information). Are any of the shareholders related to any past or present BWIA executive? The eyes are on you Mr Ken Valley, prove nobody took us for a ride.

WADE WOODRUFFE
Maloney Gardens.