Air Guard helicopters grounded

At the weekly post-Cabinet press briefing at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann’s, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley said, “We just can’t afford that and if we can’t afford it then the helicopters will stay on the ground because if we have $200 million the question that arises is, ‘is that the best way to spend $200 million in the fight against crime?’ And that is competing for money for medicine in the hospital and for paying the doctors and the nurses and other expenses and that is what the government has to deal with.” Rowley said there are other helicopters in the country but they may not have the same effectiveness as the Agusta-Westland helicopters.

“Why are we finding ourselves in a situation to pay $200 million to a foreign contractor to maintain the helicopters.

Clearly, at a time when we don’t have the money, we have to look at other alternatives and there may be other alternatives.” Asked if government will consider selling the helicopters he said, “We don’t have a position right now. That may be an option, but we do need to have a capacity to be in the air and to be a part of our border protection.

What is in front of us today requires review because we can’t swallow that. So we have to look at all the other options that are available but we certainly can’t commit today to spend $200 million in maintenance for a year.”