Khan: No new routes in US for BWIA

WORKS Minister Franklin Khan yesterday blamed part of BWIA’s financial problems on this country’s Category 2 status.

Speaking in the House of Representatives yesterday, Khan said because the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) downgraded Trinidad and Tobago to a Category 2 status, BWIA cannot expand its routes, neither can it code-share with other airlines in the United States. The Minister pointed out that BWIA, now in financial crisis, was losing US $980,000 a month. “It has had a negative impact on the profitability of the local airline,” the Minister added.

Khan, Member of Parliament for Ort-oire/Mayaro, piloted an Act to amend the Civil Aviation Act No 11 of 2001 in Parliament. He said with certain improvements to the legislation, TT can return to Category 1 status. While his contribution was applauded, Opposition Chief Whip Ganga Singh took Khan to task for not looking at the real problem to affect civil aviation - Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). During his contribution, Khan kept addressing House Speaker Barry Sinanan as “Mr Deputy Speaker”. This did not escape Sinanan who rose on one occasion and said “it seems that you have deputy on your mind.”

Khan told the House that the FAA had been in and out of this country over the last eight months, looking at the civil aviation industry. According to the Minister, Government is intent on having Trinidad and Tobago returned to Category 1 status. Khan knocked the former UNC administration for erecting a terminal building at Piarco Airport costing $1.6 billion. He revealed that Government has to spent another $40 million to repair the Piarco runway. He pointed out that tenders were invited for this project.

The Minister revealed that Government has ordered high frequency equipment costing $9 million. Another $6 million will be spent on an aeronautical network, with a further $75 million to be expended over the next two years on several items including a new radar and standby generators. He admitted that the airports have outdated equipment and he was critical of the UNC for spending $1.6 billion for a new terminal building and not finding $75 million to purchase equipment to have a safer civil aviation industry. “What the UNC did was to build an airport and give out contracts. With this equipment being bought in the United States, there can be no racket,” the Minister told the House. Ganga Singh, MP for Caroni East, spoke of the dangers of the SARS viral and noted Government’s silence on what measures have been put in place to deal with if, and when it comes to Trinidad and Tobago.