Captain, this plane not flying — fast track it...

THE EDITOR: Whilst there is much speculation on the part of certain elements of the media as to the “honesty” of the BWEE management — a question first insinuated by PM Manning when he postulated as to whether these gentlemen were being completely up front in their dealings with him — his official stance from the start of the crisis has been one of no crisis — “we shall deal with it in our own good time and howsoever it pleases me.” That crisis status is unimportant and Mr Manning’s perceptions should be evident from the medical impasse (sorry, the first evidence of non acknowledgment of “crisis” and effect thereof to any but himself and Party was in fact the ten-months impasse period after 24/12/01).

Although hedging on the Bwee issue, the PM has been very open and quick to communicate to partner Gonsalves and Co his commitment to keeping LIAT going and the necessity for a regional, if not international, airline. With these commitments in mind it might not be unhelpful if Bwee were to go “belly up” (along with the 40 percent or more of Government owned stock in same) and no longer constitute a spoke in the wheel, so to speak. That this shareholding is yours, mine and ours (investment of taxpayers hard earned money) should be of prime importance. He is the captain, if not of the ship of state, at least the architect of the current state of ship. He will decide. (I hope he remembers that a captain does not abandon a sinking ship). He might also do well to recall that in 1970 BWIA had an aircraft waiting on the tarmac manned for instant departure, awaiting only the arrival of Williams and his entourage at a moment’s notice — no foreign airline is going to offer that service. What do you think that cost BWIA? The tarnishing of Bwee’s reputation (by extension that of TT and all Trinis to the bone is another factor which he does not appear to have taken into consideration nor the long term effect upon the non-Trini travelling public of the spectacle of seizure for debts owed).

This entire matter brings to mind the Airport Enquiry and the opprobrium for “fast tracking” methods utilised. This is one occasion upon which a prayerful PM would be well advised to adopt this UNC approach. Fast tracking would appear to have been utilised in the formation of CEPEP and the transformation of prime agricultural land at St Joseph farm into housing plots, so the concept is not altogether foreign to Mr Manning’s administration. This time, however, fast tracking a Bwee resolution will redound to the benefit of each and every citizen of TT — who are all stakeholders in the national airline. Ask any Trini to the bone, I think you will find that thus far they have all been very proud of their airline, just as they are proud of their Red House.

VIRGINIA VERITY
Port-of-Spain