No THA debt to CAL

This was the answer provided by airline representatives to members of the State Enterprises Joint Select Committee during a public hearing at Tower D of the Port-of-Spain International Waterfront Centre. Responding to questions from Chaguanas East MP Fazal Karim, CAL Acting Chief Financial Officer Marina Chase indicated that the total subsidy was $1,380,988. She explained, “All of that has been paid. Nothing is outstanding by the THA.” JSC chairman, Independent Senator David Small, acknowledged earlier concerns raised by D’Abadie/O’Meara MP Ancil Antoine about difficulties in travelling by air to and from Tobago. Noting that this is a frequent comment by parliamentarians from Tobago in addition to the wider public, Small remarked there seemed to be a “continuous excess of demand above supply.” He also disclosed that he went online recently and was unable to book a flight on CAL for September for the Great Race.

Small said it was curious that he could easily go online and book flights to destinations outside of TT but not do with respect to domestic flights. CAL officials indicated this was related to challenges with its booking system and those issues are being addressed.