Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has reiterated Dominica’s commitment to contribute to the “sustainability and sustenance” of LIAT which he says is critical to the region.
He made that statement ahead of a meeting in Antigua on Tuesday April 30, 2019 to discuss inter-regional air travel.
“The issue of the sustainability and the sustenance of LIAT is a very critical one which occupies the minds of every single citizen in our region,” Skerrit said. “LIAT is too important for us as a region not to recognize the need for each of us in whatever small way we can to make a contribution to the sustainability and sustenance of LIAT.”
He said that one has to appreciate the tremendous economic dislocation it would cause to every single country in the region if LIAT were to go under.
“And this is why Dominica is committed in its humble way, to make a contribution to LIAT’s sustenance and its sustainability because we in Dominica appreciate the importance of LIAT to the economy of Dominica,” he stated. “We do not have a largesse of funds but the little that we have or the little that we do not have, we will certainly make a contribution to LIAT sustainability and sustenance.”
Skerrit indicated that he believes that countries within the Caribbean need to recognize the importance of LIAT.
“Yes we will criticize; yes we have issues with LIAT but let us not set aside the greater good of this company and its services to our region,” he stated.
He said he also believes that the region needs to look critically at LIAT’s operations and its management to determine where expenditure can be cut, “where we can have greater frugality in its expenditure.”
“We need to look at things from a holistic standpoint and ensure that everybody needs to play their part in order for LIAT to be sustainable for it to continue to fly,” Skerrit noted.
He said he is also concerned about the possibility of a reduction in the number of planes available to LIAT.
“We will see a serious challenge,” he warned.
“With the ten [10] we have a challenge, far more to reduce the company to seven [7] aircrafts,” he remarked. “I mean all of us would be impacted.”
You know, this prime Minister operates as if Dominica got a money tree. Last time he went n invest in liat, n instead of liat treating Dominican better they dump us in Antigua or Barbados for hours or days. Now that we are in silly season, the same Pm jumps up as savour to pump money in liat, when Dominica is upside down. The prime Minister does not consult Dominicans about nothing… He is like deceased Hugo Chavez, who was helping everyone to the extent that venuezula is in a mess… Instead of just showing off with money Dominica does not have, go fix the roads, houses cause people still under tapolin n tent, build bridges, create jobs, give the youths a future, and you n your failed government take a flight on liat and don’t come back Dominica. You guys are just failures……. Your party color is red which means danger… We need blue for hope and prosperity…. Labor must go. Skerritt tired,
I am so happy for the prime minister bring back liat s to country for the economic will grow up i am very appreciat because you bring back liat i am verry congratulate you for that ideas i happy for you
Any prudent leader or person with a basic business mind, who continue to put money into an airline or business that is destined to fail, is a fool. Only when it’s other people money, leaders are so wasteful. Any business that is not managed effectively should die, and should be made to die.
I doubt very much that Dominica will contribute one dollar because all the money you ever get is begged for from somebody else.
Liat is …. and a waste of money. This airline is never on time and alway gives unwanted island tours. If that’s my only option to travel to Dominica then I decline I will wait until another airline is available to make my return. Thanks skerrit but we know your reasons for wanting to invest in liat, it’s for your pockets and nothing else. Stop pretending you doing it for the people.
LIAT has been in operation for over 50 years. It was subsided and supported by all the Caribbean islands from Jamaica to Trinidad. Just like our federation most of the islands withdrew and have their own airlines or invited foreign airlines in.
Most national airlines are highly subsidized by their government. If all the islands were participants LIAT would not be in this present state. So do not gang up on Skerrit for the state of LIAT today because at this time Dominica need LIAT. Until we have an appropriate airport and our own airline we have to stick to LIAT. If Patrick John had succeeded in building that airport Air France would have been the first to have landing rights. Remember Air Guadeloupe and Air Martinique and the Canefield stadium that was under construction by the French Government.
Remember, higher upfront taxes limits and stifles commerce, conversely, more cash in had stimulates trade from which there are greater spin-offs
Dominica double doctor; Dr. Punjab/Duquesne Roosevelt Skerrit, brought Dr. St. Vincent Ralph Gonzales to Dominica, put him on a political platform, and have the St. Vincent doctor told his puppet red devils supporters how we do not need an International Airport in our country.
The St. Vincent doctor was in the process of building Argyle International Airport in St. Vincent; after he left the Dominica double doctor; that Dominica Mountain Chicken Crapaud (crapo) Mentality Sir Knight Dr. Punjab/Duquesne doctor of nothing Ali Baba Roosevelt Skerrit:
Went the length and breath of the island quoting Gonzales: ” Dr. Gonzales told me ‘Roosevelt Skerrit’ that Dominica do not need any international airport; all we need is to refurbish Melville Hall Terminal, install landing lights to accommodate night landings and we good.”
The day before Argyle inauguration, Dr. St. Vincent kick Roosevelt in his face by saying Dominica is the only independent English speaking island without an…
Almost a third of airline fixed costs are associated with flying operations.
Liat needs more passengers to fill the seats. The overall cost of air travel is prohibitive. The high taxes (45% to 55% of ticket cost), must be reduced significantly to make air travel attractive and boost Liat’s chances of survival. More affordable travel increases travel, and will therefore boost Liat’s revenues. Try if for 3 years and measure the effectiveness annually.
Governments need to remove those taxes, much of which is re-injected as a bailout later. Doesn’t make sense.
Re injecting cash into Liat has been a highly undesirable recurring phenomena. And sadly so. What is the ROOT cause? High operating and other costs? Low revenues? Low load factor? Inept management? Low travel interest.
A few years ago the chairman of Liat (PM Gonsalves) made – to me – what was a very troubling statement…words to the effect that Liat can never be profitable…because of some routes it MUST fly. Why does a COMMERCIAL airline HAVE TO fly any – unprofitable – route(s). I quelled my confusion by declaring that it must be that the airline is viewed as a social enterprise, obligated to provide a regional service…at all cost. And I further wondered of the suitability of a socialist to effectively run a commercial enterprise. I determined that Liat, like any other commercial entity needed a chairman who could lead the airline into viability and ultimately, profitability.
Here’s an excerpt from an article from Searchlight:
I recently booked a ticket SVD to GND. The total cost was $167.66. Leaving aside the details this showed that LIAT received just $60.00 and the taxes and fees amounted to $107.66. To put it another way, you will pay your fare to the airline, LIAT, and almost 180 per cent in taxes and fees! One of the fees is a “POS concourse fee” despite the fact you will probably not even leave the aircraft in POS. Also when you booked the ticket you really wanted to go direct to GND not via POS. The airline routes you that way and POS collects a fee for little or nothing.
It looks to me that LIAT has to restrict its fares so that we can afford to travel. Is this because the Governments in the region have found a way of raising significant revenue at the expense of the traveling public? The only way to move around the Islands is by air. When you do the Governments are going to take their “pound of flesh”. What can be done?
Instead of simply criticizing, attacking, and just verbalizing without knowledge and information, Here are some excerpts of interest.
What Does a High Load Factor Indicate?
A high load factor indicates that an airline has full planes with most seats occupied by passengers. Airlines have high fixed costs associated with each flight. Every flight must have a full flight crew and support staff, a well-maintained aircraft with enough fuel, and services that entertain and comfort customers.
Load Factor and Revenue
Airlines typically have thin profit margins and must have relatively high load factors to stay profitable. If a high load factor is necessary, the airline is less efficient and may not be as profitable for investors.
Load Factor and Costs
Almost a third of airline fixed costs are associated with flying operations. Another 13% for aircraft maintenance, 13% on advertising, 16% on services at airport gates 9% on in-flight services, the rest is other expenses.
(Source:…
I will never understand how PM and this government just makes decisions and say it’s on behalf of Dominicans without consultation. Trust me PM, the majority of Dominicans are against this decision. It is better if LIAT is allowed to be bought over by a private company at this point. I don’t think our Government should sink any money into LIAT unless a forensic accounting inquiry is carried out. Period. Point blank!
What do you mean consultation? Do you want a referendum on this ?
LIAT is already in operation and government have a mandate to take decisions on our behalf. We have the right to agree or disagree, but national consultation on this….
Skerrit do us Dominican a favor and buy liat I thing we can do a better job or leave our money in Dominica build the international airport and marigot hospital Tonia enough is enough bring jobs to the country and stop. The hand out
Maybe that is a good idea. But I would have a different approach. Build the international airport, be sure it is a state of art and the biggest and the best in the Caribbean.
Then have our own airline with direct same day arrival from both side of the Atlantic. In the meantime build all the travel infrastructure to make Dominica the best tourist destination in the Caribbean . We already have the best natural resources.
I like how he is saying we cannot afford to let LIAT die when is those same leaders who have some kind of crap taxes on airfare, the taxes make up MORE THAn 50% of the airfare like wth!
I would give the P.M’s reasoning some credit if he and his family were to use LIAT for their travel, put his money where his mouth is. Right now I’m determine not to use that airline again.
“Skerrit has reiterated Dominica’s commitment to contribute to the sustainability and sustenance” of LIAT which he says is critical to the region.”
Roosevelt are you mad; or you are so delusional that you are unable to see what is going on around you in the region you said are critically dependent on LIAT?
Man you are blind; when we speak about the “region” we are referencing to Guyana, on the continent of South America, to Jamaica in the North of the Caribbean.
All of the islands between North and South America, with the exception of the island of Montserrat have International Airports, and do not depend on LIAT for the transportation of a single passenger!
LIAT is critical only to Dominica; and that is as a result of your personal stupidity, and incompetence!
You don’t have any alternative than to waste Dominica taxpayers money, and every penny you accumulate from the sale of passports in LIAT.
Your cursed mentality has destroyed Dominica: LIAT will soon become…
The thing I like about you, Dods, is the confidence with which you state your point even when you don’t have a clue what you’re talking about. For example, you said: “All of the islands between North and South America, with the exception of the island of Montserrat have International Airports, and do not depend on LIAT for the transportation of a single passenger” There is not international airport on St. Barts, Saba, Statia, and although Nevis is listed as having one, it’s too small to accommodate large aircraft. On the other hand, Barbados and Antigua both have international airports, yet both depend heavily on Liat for thousands of passengers. What you fail to realise is that not all passengers come from the US of Europe or some far away places. Last year, two million passengers came from within the Caribbean. How do you think Grenadians travel to Barbados? How do you think Kittitians travel to St. Maarten? Sometimes it’s better to keep quiet.
The smaller Dutch and French islands to mentioned has never had any issues with air transport: It’s not as a result of backwardness, or a lack of money why there are no International Airport on the islands.
The fact is the land form simply cannot accommodate international Airports. Since we are in that area, take a look at St. Martin, there is an International Airport, but we know that on touch down even tourist standing at the end of runway to see the touch down if they are not holding on to the fence find themselves in a situation of getting blown away!
Now; Nevis has a commuter airport lager than what exists at Melville Hall; however, Nevis is a dependency of St. Kitts!Do you remember in the colonial days, when it was “St. Kitts, Nevis, and Anguilla?”
After the independence of the three island state Anguilla rebelled.The late Dominica Paul Southwell built an International Airport in St. Kitts: “Serves Nevis.”
They plan a bridge to Nevis.
Those millions previously given to LIAT and those now being considered could have built the Marigot hospital. Just another example of government giving money to private companies but begs for or borrows money for infrastructure development.
Unbelievable! This man gave Liat $8 million and Dominicans have never benefited from this money. Dominicans continue to struggle at Airports just to get back home, and now he contemplating giving them more money even with a reduction in the number of planes after that. Is this man looking in the best interest of Dominicans, or is it all about stakeholders.
He does not have any alternative; what he is doing is compulsory: Dominica is the only island in the Caribbean that is solely dependent on LIAT for air transportation in and out of their country.
By the time election gets close you will hear him say he is going to China to get help to build international airport, as he did five years ago, he returned without mentioning what the Chines gave to him.
He so damn lie, I suspect he did not go to China, he probably went to Switzerland with a brown paper bag filled with something from the government treasury to deposit in a bank in Switzerland.
I know eh, but I doh want to talk no more but dat eh!
Anyway, LIAT is a lost cause, when it collapses only Dominica will be without any access into and out the country by air!
The Marigot Hospital should not be part of the debate!
That’s another issue, Roosevelt should be held accountable for the money that the Mexicans gave to the people of Dominica for the building of a new hospital in Marigot.
Dominicans should be asking Roosevelt where are the millions of Dollars that was given to the nation, by another poor nation such as Mexico to build a hospital in the village of Marigot?
As everything else money donated for specific purpose are constantly misappropriated by Roosevelt, (Mr. Ali Baba) and his thirty-two other scoundrels.
There is a folk lure (story) about Ali Baba and his forty thieves; or was it thirty-two thieves?
Well I dream there is a Mr. Ali Baba, and thirty-two thieves plus living in Dominica ruling over everything.
I hear they even selling the national Birds; we parrot, said they sent them to Germany, more than two years ago, the parrots still getting treated. What has Roosevelt done with the Mexican treasure! I wonder if Ali Baba…
hello laplaine observer….it takes between 43 and 53 hours from boston to melvillehall….you leave boston to new York to panama city to Barbados to dominica….with all that you overnight at each destination….you are so right…when will the traveler take 8 hours to get to da like the days of american eagle?
Does “the little that we do not have” mean we will take a loan to bail out a company which continues to provide us with overpriced and despicable service? If this energy was applied to keeping ROSS University in Dominica, we would not be in this predicament. Barbados does not need LIAT, so their PM Mottley should say “not my circus, not my monkey”.
Gonzales fooled you, to the extent that we would be the worst affected if Liat goes under! Bad and myopic leader/MISLEADER..
Skerrit Must Go
Skerrit Must Go
LAZY Skerrit Must Go Now
Perhaps Dominica’s support could be used to leverage LIAT’s respect for us as a “Nature Island” and the health of our people, tourists, agriculture and eco-tourism/health tourism by convincing it to STOP SPRAYING PESTICIDES IN CABIN WITH PASSENGERS on board. Such spraying is not required by Dominica but is done anyway by LIAT, whose personnel tell inquirers that it is only a “harmless” deodorizer being sprayed.
Skerritt, it is not a choice for Dominican contributing to Liat’s survival but an obligation. If Liat fails Dominica is cut off from the rest of the world. If Liat fails Dominica takes a small step backwards and it is back to pre Colombus days. Gonsalves fooled you and told you that Dominica didn’t need an international airport. While he was telling you so he was gathering funds to build his own and did. So he is not totally dependent in Liat. You promised an international airport with a container terminal. Hundreds of containers were brought into Dominica after the hurricane. They are on the Potters Ville Playing Field with hurricane relief waiting to be used as election bribe. The terminal cannot become a reality cause the containers are not opening until shortly before elections. After the election s you will no longer be PM so your dream will be dead. Dominica needs to grow however that cannot happen under the labor government with you at the helm. You are bankrupt of ideas.
LIAT’s operations must be restructured so that the airline can become economically viable. If we just pour money into LIAT before making the necessary restructuring it’s like throwing money in the wind. All the waste, fat and leakages will have to be cut. The airline’s staff is bloated and has to be streamlined. Presently it operates like a welfare agency. What do you expect? I, personally, do not want LIAT to go under water. That said, it has to be restructured and be made profitable. The dilated staff, the frequent lateness, the refunds, the cancelled flights, etcetera, must be significantly reduced in order to stop the bleeding of cash.
Those millions previously given to LIAT and those now being considered could could have built the Marigot hospital. One more time, government gives money to a business entity but begs or seeks to borrow money for infrastructure development. This is what you call waste.
I knew he would be the first one to jump to their rescue. After all he must be their best customer and if they were to disappear he would actually have to stay in Dominica and do the jobs he is being paid for to do rather than jetting the globe at Ma Dominique expense.
Skerrit has once again decided to put interest of another country (Antigua) first. I guess he has no choice now but to kiss up to the rear end of Gaston Brown and pay the piper by giving LIAT our money again. What a shame! Skerrit please let LIAT go!
I agree with Gaston Browne, but only partially, as Caribbean brothers and sister, we cannot afford to throw another under the bus even though it does not affect us directly. This is why the world is in the state it is now because all countries only take into consideration their self-interest without little to no consideration on the negative impact of the other countries. I also agree when he said that Caribbean leaders could look into ways THEY can help LIAT operate sustainably starting with decreasing travelling taxes (resulting in the increased demand for intraregional travel), reduction of landing fees specifically awarded to LIAT as it IS THE COUNTRIES’ AIRLINE. Do I agree with the privatization of LIAT? No. I do however think that they need to seat with the board to strategically develop proper FEASIBLE policies and plans for the effective operation of the company. I think as stakeholders, the countries need to play a more active role in LIAT’s operations.
Y don’t you double doctor just buy the Airline. Am sure you can afford it. Liat should be privatized. I sure will not miss liat.
Skerrit this is where you continue to stab your own people,Liat has a work force over 700,and how many are in Dominica,Antigua continues to get all the benefits,makes no sense to keep Liat afloat,waste of time and money,a private company needs to take over Liat,Over five years i have abandoned this incompetent airline.