Valley: I don’t micro-manage BWIA

Addressing the post-Cabinet news conference at Whitehall, Valley said he had not seen financial out-turns from BWIA for the first two quarters of the current fiscal year, but there has been no recent request from the airline for financial assistance from the Government. "No news is good news," Valley stated.

He explained that despite the fact that Government is currently the airline’s main shareholder, it leaves the day-to-day operations of BWIA to the airline’s board of directors.

"Government leaves the board to manage the business. As minister, I do not micro-manage. That has never been my way. I want to deal with strategic issues and if the airline has a problem, I would expect that they would ask," Valley added.

He said Public Administration and Information Minister Dr Lenny Saith (who chairs a Cabinet committee dealing with BWIA’s future) is due back in the country this weekend and a decision about the airline’s future will not be made before then. The minister said Government has not considered making the domestic airbridge an essential service as a result of recent problems with Tobago Express.

Stressing that those matters were the responsibility of Works and Transport Minister Colm Imbert, Valley said he was aware of Tobago Express’ problems and local civil aviation authorities were analysing that airline’s request for a domestic fare increase.

Valley added that once that decision is made, Government would have to decide what part of that fare should be subsidised, or if the new fare should be subsidised at all. Tobago House of Assembly Chief Secretary Orville London said he would not support an increased domestic air fare if service on the airbridge is not simultaneously improved, and options to achieve the latter are being explored.

Valley also announced that Government will provide $2.1 million to strengthen the local merchant marine industry as it continues its exercise to diversify the economy from its traditional energy base.

Noting that similar plans are currently in train for other non-energy industries (such as yachting and film), the minister said Government (through Cabinet’s standing committee on business development which is chaired by Prime Minister Patrick Manning) would be seeking to develop similar plans where agriculture was concerned, and was confident that the initiatives would generate sustainable employment for TT nationals.