UNC backs PNM on nationalising BWIA

THE OPPOSITION United National Congress (UNC) yesterday expressed its support for any Government initiative to re-nationalise BWIA. According to UNC chairman, Wade Mark, this has become necessary because of the “shameless” manner that BWIA’s management has treated its workers.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Patrick Manning announced that the Cabinet had agreed in principle to support a merger of BWIA and its equally cash-strapped sister carrier, Liat. The Prime Minister also said the national carrier’s private shareholders were unwilling to put any more funds into BWIA and if Government had to provide the bulk of the finance, then the airline’s management structure would have to change.

Mark told Newsday while the Opposition does not have all the facts about the BWIA-Liat merger, it would support a re-nationalisation of BWIA. The UNC chairman said BWIA’s management has acted callously towards the 471 workers it retrenched by not paying the severance monies owed to them by the legally stated deadline of April 15. He added that the UNC was thoroughly dissatisfied with the manner in which the airline’s management has dealt with its workers. Mark said statements by BWIA officials as to why the payments were not made on time were not “a plausible excuse”.

He said while the airline industry has undoubtedly been affected by the war in Iraq, SARS and other factors, this did not justify the actions taken to date by BWIA’s management. Mark added that if the airline’s management was unable to handle BWIA’s critical role of national transport, Government should have no hesitation in removing them and taking control of the airline’s operations.