Fifty-five years after the establishment of LIAT (1974) Ltd by Mr. Frank Delisle, a national of St. Kitts and Nevis, in October 1956, with a single Piper Apache aircraft, the airline continues to advance the goal of Sir Frank to provide safe and reliable air transport to the islands and peoples of the eastern Caribbean.
Shareholder Prime Ministers Dr. the Hon. Ralph Gonsalves of St. Vincent and the Grenadines; Dr. the Hon. Baldwin Spencer of Antigua and Barbuda and the Hon. Freundel Stuart of Barbados in a joint statement noted that from such humble beginnings, today’s LIAT now represents the primary mover of people within the Caribbean region.
It is also good to note that he Frank Delisle started that company in the Emerald Isle of the West Montserrat…..
It is also good to note that he Frank Delisle started that company in the Emerald Isle of the West Montserrat…..
LIAT undoubtedly has its problems. There is no denying that. However, there are people who behave like they can run the company better, yet they wound not know how to run a lemonade stand.
Everybody and their cousin know how to run an airline. Have you guys taken a look at the balance sheets of the various US airliners? How many times have they declared bankruptcy and stuck their creditors with unpaid bills?
You people think running an airline is similar to running a rum shop? The overhead costs are very large. There are myriad costs over which the company has no control, fuel being one of them. While those costs are rising, thye have to remain competitive. I would like to see some of you do a better job.
Let us also remember at this time the pioneer pilots from Dominica who joined LIAT in the very early days. Men such as Patrick Dewhurst and Reggie Laville.
If you are old enough you will realise that there was a time in the 1950s and 60s when no one was interested in investing in air services in our islands and thanks to Frank Delisle he built up a company that was the lifeblood for the development of tourism and other services in our islands.
Some can grouse and complain now. But if you look at the bigger picture you will understand how important LIAT has been for us.
“LIAT now represents the primary mover of people within the Caribbean region”
There are two ways to analise this statement. It depends on how you see it. Mover of persons away from LIAT itself to find cheaper flights, or mover of persons around the Caribbean. Somehow I believe persons are now doing the former. In retrospect i must say congrats do LIAT though for such lone service, which has certainly moved the company backwards instead of forward.
i view it as a positive thing,this man has done,even if they are falling apart now,liat has played a major role in the movement people through out the caribbean,that you can not deny them.