Valley silent on BWIA Board

TRADE and Industry Minister Ken Valley declined to say whether there would be any restructuring of BWIA’s management or Board of directors after a presentation to Cabinet yesterday by Government-hired consultants SH&E International. Speaking with reporters at the Central Bank on Tuesday, the Minister said SH&E would make a presentation to Cabinet at Whitehall on BWIA’s future, but their report already indicated that the national airline was operationally viable. Valley indicated that once that presentation was made, Cabinet would be taking “appropriate action.” He also said the consultants’ diagnosis was that there were problems with BWIA’s capital structure and not its operating efficiency.

Asked if this meant a possible restructuring of either the airline’s management or Board of directors, Valley replied: “I cannot anticipate my Cabinet, can I?” He said the SH&E report also indicated that LIAT was in need of major operational restructuring. Government sources said this fact had been conveyed by Trinidad and Tobago to LIAT’s other shareholder governments. Valley reiterated that BWIA remains an integral part of Government’s plans to transform TT into “the Gateway to the Americas,” and this country’s bid to become the site of the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA).