Airlift is a major Caribbean problem that deserves top priority because it is vital for tourism and trade, subsequently for the economic well-being of all population members of the Caribbean communities. The problem has been acknowledged for many years. Just check the on-line archives of the news media to find the evidence. No one has come up with a true common solution.
How to solve the airlift problem? It is quite complicated already, because of the geography and the many jurisdictions. Try to define the Caribbean. It could be any area between Bermuda and the Guyanas, and include the coastal areas of Central America. Yet, the countries need each other’s air transport connections. It is not a kind of project where one should expect to have a complete universal solution at once for all. It will most likely come in steps and building blocks. That is acceptable, as long as the end result is a ‘Caribbean House’ that all feel comfortable to live in.
Part of the problem is the word ‘unifying’. So let’s post the question to a person who has an objective perspective on airlift matters and panoramic view of Caribbean issues, the Minister of Transportation of the island St.Tosia, the fictitious Honourable Duncan Vanderbeest: “Unifying the Caribbean? Can it be done? Yes! Am I sure? No! Where lies the challenge? The first challenge is that one would have to unite while leaving all the differences intact! The second challenge is that there are more jokers around than a Caribbean comedy festival could stand. Last but not least, and don’t tell my colleagues that I have said this, or else they may have evil come upon me in a next summit, but, I couldn’t tell one ‘Honourable’ from another; they all sound alike.” End quote. Wow! Thank you mister Minister, as it is an exception to hear the powerful talk as candidly as the powerless.
The solution may be a Caribbean Airlift Council. An institution that is independent from governments. It cooperates with governments and advises them when asked, yet, it is credible and highly respected to also urgently suggest and be accepted even when not asked. Where does that leave the representation of the public sector, the various business organizations or interest groups? The expression ‘Interest groups’ says a lot. They usually pursue a particular interest that is on their mind and they have organized themselves for that purpose. There are three interest segments: aviation, tourism and investment. The Caribbean Airlift Council will cooperate with all of them and communicate, but remain impartial and independent. If the Council is just a mediator in such a complicated environment, why fiddle around with a healing middleman and not immediately call a priest? Not so pessimistic! This is about new life and when differing circumstances meet, creativity is encouraged.
The primary task of the Council is finding realistic solutions for any airlift issue that has not been dealt with (past, current, and future) with a satisfactory result. This global definition in itself creates an immense field of issues. It serves all airlift stakeholders thus not just the aviation industry, but rather also the travel and tourism interests, and to a lesser degree the investment segment. The Council activities could include, consulting and advise, study, mediation, certification (e.g. Caribbean Friendly Sky concept). Several other activities may be included but cannot be listed here.
The Council shall not copy the activities which agencies or organizations are doing or supposed to do. If nothing else, it will simply outdo these actors with faster and better solutions. There are many issues that need a solution for once and for all, and rather sooner than later. The reason why these needs exist so widely, is because they have never been dealt with on such a broad base. Maybe attempted on a smaller scale or a narrower base, but they have not resulted in accomplishments that serve all governments, communities or interest groups in the region. Sometimes it may have been the lack of foresight or appropriate competence; other times it was the political meddling.
The Council should NOT get any authority. If it was given authority, it may already encounter resistance by a foreseeable number of egos. Yet, the fact that the Council is an authority on the airlift subject itself, may be its most powerful instrument to have its influence and impact. Anyone who ignores the work or advise of the Council might be considered foolish. The entity, should be strong-minded, undistractible, and remain focused at all times on carrying out the mission leading to the objective of solving Caribbean airlift problems. The unit should be totally integer, impartial, unbiased, neutral, and have no hidden agendas. Therefore, the Council shall be respected by all.
Creating the right organizational structure and its procedures is a challenge for itself. The members and affiliates of the Council should be competent movers, and not well-worded followers. Titles are meaningless; it is not about who a person is, but rather what the person can do. Efficiency must rule; wasting time or energy is a no-no; mediocracy is considered failure.
In their idle time some people dream. ONE CARIBBEAN may be such a dream or just an illusion. Who really wants ONE CARIBBEAN ANYTHING anyway, let alone a Caribbean Airlift Council? Defining and determining why to unify, may already be a tougher issue to find a consensus on, than the unification process itself. Who will make it happen, a messiah or a navigator? Looking at the conceivable tasks ahead, one would almost believe that this is a great script for either a Hollywood box office hit or TV soap opera scenario. Maybe this all remains food for thought; maybe it could be an appetizer.
Comrade Slabbert, as usual very profound. I will always reiterate, and you have said it in a very careful choice of words, as long as we continue with the politics as usual, our problems will remain the same. Politicians; Africa a typical example, are all concerned about their pockets. Most of them are poor and only build themselves through the political arena. We need leaders who have insight, who will make the tough decisions even if they are unpopular, but reap the benefits in the long run. We need honest people who will not take a bite of the cheese, but will make the sacrifices that will benefits everyone in the long run. But, Africa a continent blessed with so much wealth, continues to languish in poverty, because these politicians continue to exploit and abuse state resources. The Caribbean, no different continues to be used and abused, the house slaves continue to keep the field slaves in poverty and ignorance to further their agendas. In the end things will not get better
Sir/Madam Looking who! One should not repute, or refute another persons comments unless you know for sure what the author is talking about!
That man is talking a lot about airlift; but in what sense, he is simply amusing? Is he talking about the airlifting of passengers traveling from country to country, or the airlifting of manufactured commodities in the Caribbean region to any international destination?
His writing makes good entertainment reading: However, I doubt his hullabaloo is relevant to our situation in Dominica: And before I get the hatchet; be informed there is no mystery about the term “airlift.” it is simply defined as ” a system of transporting cargo, or passengers by aircraft. That is why I zeroed in on Dominica’s lack of an International Airport. I read piece on Caribbeannewsnow.com, and that is why I believe his comments is not relevant to our country, since we are not manufacturing cargo to be airlifted!
We however need an International Airport to…
“Airlift is a major Caribbean problem that deserves top priority because it is vital for tourism and trade, subsequently for the economic well-being of all population members of the Caribbean communities.”
Man be honest and say we have a problem with air access in and out of Dominica in particular okay! Most of us knows the entire area between North & South America: That is from Jamaica in the North to Guyana in South America, and of all the islands Dominica is the only English speaking sovereign nation without an International Airport.
There is no excuse for backwardness, and I do not care how many versions, or episodes you write you might as well say it; unless there is an International Airport built in Dominica, the word tourism will only remain a fantasy in Dominica. The present Labor Party told our people, we do not need an International Airport, all we need are the two existing municipals (Cane Field and Melville Hall!)
The present regime prefer to base the nations…
The present regime prefer to base the nations economy on the sale of passports, rather than investing in t tourism, how can one mention tourism while in the same breath, say “we do not need an International Airport in order to promote tourism?
Such are the sentiments of fools, or in reality the government of Dominica! To go to Dominica right to save my life if that’s what it takes to my life, there is no place in the universe where one can get a direct commercial flight to Dominica. Dominica exist in primitive conditions long prior to Maria; we are like a thousand years behind the rest of the Caribbean, the rest of the world!