No LIAT replacement can survive without subsidies – Dr. Thomson Fontaine

Former IMF economist, Dr. Thompson Fontaine

Former International Monetary Fund IMF) economist, Dr. Thompson Fontaine has, in part, blamed the demise of LIAT on the low volume of travel between the islands.

Critics have attributed the financial turbulence being experienced by LIAT to bad management but Fontaine said: “Overall, the volume of people that you need to be traveling are simply not there”.

Six air carriers have expressed interest in taking over LIAT’s travel routes, in the wake of the carrier’s current financial challenge.

They are SVG Air, One Caribbean Ltd, Caribbean Airlines, InterCaribbean Airways, Silver Airways and Air Antilles.

However, Fontaine said whoever takes over LIAT may have to eventually increase the cost of travel.

“Any airline that comes will have a problem. It can decide to lower the cost of a ticket to encourage people to travel…But the marginal cost is practically standard,” he said.

Dr. Fontaine said the new airlines must be able to attract passengers and the only way that is possible is to lower price.

“Now, if you lower your price, it means you are now going to lower your revenue and there is no guarantee that you will get more passengers because the demand is not there,” he explained.

According to the former IMF economist, the notion that LIAT can successfully be taken over by six airlines is “problematic”.

He said LIAT survived because it was heavily subsidized by regional governments.

“They (LIAT) always expected that if they cannot generate the revenues, they will get the support of the region…now the question is, will the government be prepared to make the same level of subsidies?” he asked.

Dr Fountain also called out people, who he said, are rejoicing over the demise of LIAT, reminding them that they will be at the losing end.

“A privately owned company is not going to lead to a reduction in price. People will think LIAT is gone so there will be cheaper prices but they are not going to see it because fundamentally, price is driven by supply and demand,” he explained.

Barbados Prime Minister Mia Motley says CARICOM hopes to work with the six airlines and other private sector players who also expressed interest in working either on their own or with some of the existing players to fill the gap in airlift.

She said on Monday CARICOM working together with private sector players is needed as governments have to now use their funds to deal with health, water and transportation expenditure as well as salvaging a vulnerable tourism industry.

Mottley added that the CARICOM Heads of Government have agreed to assist the airline industry in the best ways they can.

However, Fontaine maintains that any airline that is allowed to take over the route, must be a subsidiary.

“…Even if it’s not making money because of passengers, then the parent company can put in money. But the question is how much money?” he asked.

Meanwhile, Antigua and Barbuda’s Gaston Browne is insisting that if LIAT 1974 Ltd cannot be saved, shareholders should invest in a new company to replace the airline and warned that he has started the process of forming a new company, LIAT 2020 Ltd, if his recommendation is not accepted.

Dominica’s Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has said that the government and people of Dominica stand ready to invest in any new entity that is formed to replace LIAT. Dominica is the heaviest user of the regional airline.

LIAT does not have significant assets to satisfy the liabilities it owes. LIAT’s fleet consists of ten ATR aircraft—five ATR 42-600s and five ATR 72-600s—with LIAT only owning three of its aircraft.

One of LIAT’s biggest liabilities is a $29 million severance payment it contractually owes to its employees.

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66 Comments

  1. Bring back the kidnapped parrots
    July 10, 2020

    I am no financial expert but it seems to me that what Dominica needs is a small fleet of 20 passenger jets maybe 4 aircraft’s capable of landing on Dominica to make direct flights to and from Florida on a weekly basis, plus jets can fly above the weather and can make the trip in about 3 hours. They should ask Billionaire Richard Branson of Virgin Atlantic if he would be interested in starting the operation. The main reason Dominica lacks tourists is because people have to go through conniptions to get there.

    • RoRo
      July 14, 2020

      Branson just had to inject 200 million pounds into his airline to save it from collapse. You think he is looking for even more punishment?

  2. Talldog
    July 10, 2020

    This is a superficial analysis, that really addresses nothing.
    And until all the regional PMs decide to let proper airline experts solve an airline business problem, we will continue in this state.

  3. Kenrick Henry
    July 9, 2020

    let me tel u are little about aviation a region like the Caribbean u can not have one type of Airplanes there are some places that needs bigger airplanes and there are places that needs smaller planes that was a big mistake when they got rid of the Dash 8 and get ATRs also when u have so much smart and talented Engineers and mechanics in the Caribbean when u been operating an airplane for so many years and u still have to send it back to Canada and spend millions on a C check where u can get it done right here in the Caribbean much cheaper i know them Canadians are not smarter than us u can not always got back to the manufacture alone for parts and services so LIAT makes money its just bad management

    • Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
      July 11, 2020

      If only you could speak and write proper English perhaps you would make some sense that readers can understand.
      Your problem, as well as the majority of Dominicans cannot see that the resolve for the problem of air travel in and out of Dominica is an International Airport. Your idea that some islands need smaller and larger aircraft is not  a wise notion.
      I’m a resident in the city of Los Angeles California, who wish to return home to Dominica which is approximately 6.5 -7.00 hours away via a direct international flight; do you believe that any person in their right mind including me would prefer to fly to Antigua, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Grenada, St. Kitts, Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago, or any of the French islands; simply to get on a smaller aircraft  to fly to Dominica?
      It is the old backwardness which keeps people like you mine twisted around the worst  for Dominica. The islands mentioned all have International Airports, with International flights, they don’t need LIAT;…

  4. Nicky
    July 9, 2020

    What about LIAT’s 9 levels of management and the loosing of profitable routes? Doc we disagree on this one- LIAT needs to go…….

  5. kubulol
    July 9, 2020

    Dr Fontaine analysis is very correct ;
    Beside any possible management problem, there is not enough business to sustain a profitable activity ; but this travelling service is vital for the region.
    Therefore, the Carribean States must consider the airline activity as a “public service”, if I may call it so, and provide subsidiaries
    LIAT or any other air carrier will face the same supply and demand principle

    • July 9, 2020

      If that’s true, then why do several other airlines fly into DA?

      • Man bites dogs
        July 10, 2020

        For ages I have been saying Steve Foerster, don’t say much but when he says it makes sense, now if I had said that I would of have lots of monkeys on my back for sure!! 🙊

        • RoRo
          July 11, 2020

          What you say has NO relevance, my friend. You are as hollow as a Swiss Cheese!!

          • July 11, 2020

            I don’t know, I kind of liked it. :wink:

            Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
      • July 11, 2020

        Other airlines come to DA to bring people and they don’t have daily flights to Dominica like LIAT. The problem with LIAT is that it’s passenger load is not adequate to bring profitability or a break even situation to the airline.

      • Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
        July 11, 2020

        Steve the person you are responding to is correct.It true that other Aircraft fly into Dominica, nevertheless, all besides LIAT are charter flights; they are not commercial passenger flights: ever wonder why?
        Let’s review this; St. Vincent is the last island to build an International Airport, prior to that there were Landing Lights on the Runway. 
        Not even LIAT landed in St. Vincent at night, hence Gonzales discovered an International Airport is the alternative.
        Your government Steve swallowed bad advise; Roosevelt was conned; that is the Antiguan’s at the time Bird, and Gonzales realizing the day an International Airport is built in Dominica, our island will become the major Hub for International Flights, Antigua will loss that privilege. The reason Dominica will become the Hub is because our island is central in the Caribbean.
        While Roosevelt plays football, and procrastinate using the building of an International Airport as a dangling carrot, time is running, our country…

    • Talldog
      July 10, 2020

      Actually his analysis is superficial at best. I guess it’s because the topic is airline business, and he is an economist. The first and main problem facing LIAT is its business model.
      Second problem is the govt advisors: it is obvious to those that know airline business that the current crop of CARICOM PMs are listening to downright idiots… That’s right… They don’t know what they don’t know, and their arrogant decisions can be seen and heard in the foolish decisions and comments coming from our national leaders.
      PM Mottley is talking about the enabling environment by addressing the taxes, but she has no idea as to what is the business model of her own airline.
      CAL, utilising financing secured by the govt, is planning to resume schedule services to a COVID stricken destination utilising leased aircraft that are old, and overpriced, since they have lost significant value since the onset of the pandemic.
      Uncoordinated ineffective planning.

    • Talldog
      July 10, 2020

      This is superficial at best…. Let airline experts solve airline problems.
      Did we ask philosophers or dentists to address the COVID-19 pandemic?
      Why are all these people that only have cursory knowledge of this very complex business keep speaking.. They just clouding the space with hot toxic air..

  6. Kenrick Henry
    July 9, 2020

    liat needs to go where in the world u are flying for 45 mins and the ticket is 400us that is crazy so Mr. Fontaine u need to go inside Liat and see all the crazy things that goes on where u have people should be at work and they are at home or working at there Own outside Business i leave in the US and knows about it and u do not know i am in the aviation business for about 27 years airlines comes and goes Liat is not in the business of making money its there to take u have about 50 million people in the Caribbean and it u just have ten airplanes and u can make money to take care of its Own some thing is wrong so Fontaine i know for 100% u don’t know what u are talking about i always say u need about 5 to 6 small airlines and let them compete and about 3 will make it.

    • migraine
      July 9, 2020

      I got a headache reading this! if you operate your airline business the same way you construct sentences, then your failure is inevitable.

    • July 10, 2020

      @Kenrick Henry: “so Fontaine I know for 100% u don’t know what u are talking about” –Thank you, Mr. Henry, for your word of assertion above. From the time I read that message from Fontaine, I realized that it was pure negativity. That man has a negative mind, especially where PM Skerrit is concerned, he simply expressed it once more.

      Unfortunately, there are those who continue to accept his messages, but then again, they are his followers–they are built on negativity themselves. Thanks to God that they are just a few.

    • Talldog
      July 10, 2020

      This analysis is even worst… Precisely what’s wrong in the region… Way too much dotishness

      • Me
        July 10, 2020

        Do you know the difference between worse and worst? This is bad!

  7. Nicholas Stephen
    July 8, 2020

    I think my friend Thompson forget about the taxes.
    I flew from Chicago to Barbados one way for $150us on Jet Blue via New York and Barbados to Dominica for $150us on LIAT.
    Barbados to Dominica round trip was $300 us, Barbados to Fort Lauderdale was about $300us on Jet Blue.
    Do you think a Barbadian will travel to Dominica where he or she can visit Fort Lauderdale instead

  8. Anthony P. Ismael
    July 8, 2020

    The economic factors leading to the demise of LIAT are directly linked to social and historical factors that are still today. Regional travel and the free movement of people has never been a priority for CARICOM leaders. Furthermore, many of the destinations lack some of the pull factors that determine where people travel to. If you live in Trinidad, Guyana, Barbados, Jamaica or Haiti, what will entice you to travel to Dominica? Unless they are participating in a CARICOM Meeting or sporting event, many of our sister islands lack the amenities that would entice Caribbean nationals to travel and visit their sister islands.

    • Justice
      July 9, 2020

      Great article. No politics, no bias, simply facts. Very well written. I applaud you Dr. Thompson Fontaine.

  9. Death doctor
    July 8, 2020

    You remember when Martha said to Jesus, Lord “if you had been here, my brother would not have died” John 11:21.
    So many times I say to myself if Team Dominica was our government the BANANA industry would not have died. SPORTS would you have died! Ross University would not have died. LIAT would not have died. The economy would not have died. Our young men and women would be employed and Dominica would not be in the ICU. But it’s not too late people because as long as there is breath there is life. So let’s get rid of this corrupt covid-19 government and give Dominica another chance. Everything damn thing dying under Skerrit

    • jerry
      July 9, 2020

      Why does everything have to center around politics or politicians?. Doctor fountain has some valid points, but it seems to me that as an economist he is really saying that liat cannot survive without government subsidies. In that case I need you to present a viable plan that would help the regions governments to effectively manage liat so it can start making a profit. Liat owns 3 aircraft according to your post, and the others are still been leased or simply speaking they owe the banks, plus $29 million in severance pay. To say that enough people do not travel in the region on liat’s route is incorrect. The problem is the management and leadership seems to think there is unlimited cash flow from the governments who subsidize liat. Fix the loopholes, and mismanagement and the airline can be viable, do modern maths and economics, use people who are qualified to manage it and it will work. How comes there is business for all these other airlines and private planes but none for liat

  10. Alibaba & the forty thieves
    July 8, 2020

    Dominica missed an opportunity in 2014, when they rejected the likes of Dr. Fontaine, Hon Linton, Joshua and others. These are the people that would have turned things for us because they understand they understand economy and they have Dominica at heart. But Dominicans chose Alibaba and his forty thieves, with no vision, no love for country and only concerned about what he can get from Dominica. But how all you make your bed so you will sleep on it. Dominica is now a den of thieves and I hope we have not lost our beloved country. God bless you doc and other Patriots

  11. Ibo France
    July 8, 2020

    Millions of taxpayers’ dollars were used numerous times to keep LIAT afloat. These financial sacrifices proved unsuccessful.
    In Antigua, LIAT is used like a welfare institution. If my memory serves me tight, there are over five hundred employees. RIDICULOUS ❗
    For the good of the region, let’s hope that the replacement will be much better managed.

  12. zandoli
    July 8, 2020

    When you have career politicians running an airline that is what you get. Would anyone of you hand over your business to Skerrit to run for you? I wouldn’t.

  13. frustration
    July 8, 2020

    border opening but no flights or ferries in or out of DA……crazy!!!!

  14. Ti Garcon
    July 8, 2020

    LIAT is heavily subsided by Gov’ts. But its also heavily taxed. Over 40% of the airline ticket is gov’t taxes which in the end nullifies any so called subsidy.
    The high taxes end up making the airline ticket unattractive for travelers and thus reduce demand.
    I’m disappointed in Thompson’s analogy, he doesn’t comment on the fact LIAT employs 3x as many employees as similar sized airplane- a problem due to its government interference? Or that for its huge executive board for a failed entity, the CEO and other where getting salaries of US$15-25K a month!!! But that’s what expected of government controlled agencies, they breed inefficiency despite their bloated work forces. Thompson should be encouraging private sector growth and involvement in not only the airline industry but in society in general, and advocating for lower taxes on the industry. Instead he is spewing this big government aka socialist crap.

    • Graysonj Stedman
      July 8, 2020

      Ti Grcon, you must excuse Dr. Fountain, he is out in the vast Sahara desert. He would know that revenue is combination of variable and fixed cost, and profit. If revenue was declining over time because of the high cost of the airfare, you then must look at your cost structure and in particular your fixed cost. The 5 ART 42-600 and 2 ATR72-600 required between 350 and 400 employees. LIAT has a payroll of over 800 employees. LIAT has 3 hubs and a study shows over 60% of LIAT traffic is handled from the Barbados hub, but Antigua has over 60% of the staff, I can provide more data, but suggest that Dr. Fountain remove his pro government hat and examine the operating structure of LIAT as an economist, get a copy of the 2018 CDB report for restructuring LIAT, The PM of Antigua has told the other 3 shareholders that reduction of LIAT employees is not a matter for discussion. DR. Fountain option is subsidies at tax payer expense rather than operate LIAT efficiently.

      • GG
        July 9, 2020

        U have hit the nail on the head STEDMAN Liat used to move around 1.6 million people around the Caribbean per year and for the past 5 or 6 years that number was down to 600.000 just do the math my people.

      • Pipo
        July 9, 2020

        But the Dr. did not say that at all Grayson, he said that Liat, even a new Liat can not survive without subsidy. He did not say this is a good thing but I do believe him. LIAT have 10 ATR not 7, five ATR42 plus five ATR72 and you are correct that they are over staffed. At the last count it was closer to 700 rather than 800 but anyway far too many to run the airline efficiently. This is a dilemma for Gaston Browne because for every employee there are at least another five dependants, so sacking all these people would be political suicide for him as would be giving access to outside airlines to replace Liat. I guess to him it would be like dancing on your partner grave.

        • July 9, 2020

          @Pipo, good comment. The main problem with LIAT is volume the volume of passengers transported by has decreased over the years and in large part staffing has remained the same or even increased. If Dr Fontaine had to extend his remarks he would most likely include the same thing that Grayson is saying.

    • chacha
      July 9, 2020

      Karl nassisef should run LIAT, it must make a profit!!!

      • Toto
        July 10, 2020

        You may just be right bro. He would sell these seats like fried chicken, cut out the dead wood and run it like a business, just like that guy in Ireland with Ryanair.

      • Batibou River
        July 11, 2020

        I don’t think so! Nassief may be successful at selling KFC (it virtually sells itself in DA), a few cars and cheap food and goods from US and China at inflated prices but running and making LIAT profitable is beyond his capabilities. You all overestimate these people. The only advantage they have is that they inherited heaps of money and fairly successfully reinvested in other fairly simple enterprises. Nothing special, just services and goods that every Dominica either needs or wants. Not rocket science at all, just capital. Karl failed with quite a few of his enterprises… but he has enough capital to compensate. If one day that’s not the case anymore, he’ll get money from the passport scheme. His cousin already got…!

  15. L C Matthew
    July 8, 2020

    Totally agree with you Doc. I have been saying that for longest while. CARICOM has over 18 million residents so there is no reason liat should not make money if we could get at least 8 million CARICOM members to move within the region annually. At $200 US a ticket and 8 million travellers thats ec4.2 billion a year in revenue. There is potential!!! But that requires policies that improve the economic life of citizens. People need jobs and productivity so a man can go st. Lucia work and live Dominica come home every two weeks and vice versa. We see everything as a hurdle and an excuse to do nothing instead of as an opportunity to add value. NEP and a beggar mentality is not going cut it. Instead Mia and Browne try find ways to increase volume btw Antigua and bdos they there fighting. These leaders are a bunch of self serving idiots juxtaposing to be the calypso monarch of the Caribbean. They should organize a week of antigua and bdos dating :wink: :wink: :wink: :wink:

    • Graysonj Stedman
      July 8, 2020

      Mr. L C Mathew, yes I agree CARICOM has over 18 millions citizens and there should be a reliable airline(s) for travel, and I think all leaders of the member states are aware of the need for its citizen to travel. The issue is not only the revenue, number of tickets sold at a reasonable cost, we also have to consider the operating cost. No business person operates a business where cost of sales is greeter then his sales. Most persons are suggesting the shareholders should put more money into LIAT, but there are no suggestions saying that LIAT should improve on its operations and match revenue with cost. In August 2013 the 4 shareholders guarantied a CDB loan US$65.0 million for LIAT to purchase new aircrafts and modernize its operation. The share of the loan, B/dos US$33.2, Ant US$21.9, St Vin US$7.5 and D/ca US$2.4. Because LIAT is owned by for government shareholder, we as CARICOM citizen should tell the shareholders to implement the 2018 CDB report and don’t operate LIAT as a…

      • L C Matthew
        July 9, 2020

        Guess what you are also correct there has been gross mismanagement in liat for years. It is ran by governments what do you expect. The only thing that has kept this running was subsidies. The bottom line is there is not enough volume so they Tax out of roof to try squeeze water out of stone coupled with the mismanagement. Are the cost of operations real or inflated? And does it take 65 years to figure that out? Each island collecting taxes on the flights. Volume will help bring down cost. Instead of this island hoping to fill flights there should be full loads from bds to Antigua and bdos to Dominica without having to jump around. That increase cost. It is a combination of factors.

  16. Bee
    July 8, 2020

    Dr. Fontaine…. one thing was noticeably absent from your column. The impact of individual island taxes on the cost of inter-island travel.

  17. Nkrumah Kwame
    July 8, 2020

    DNO, according to the Prime minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the amount owed for severance payment is a WHOPPING 94 million EC dollars!!
    HOTEP!

  18. Concerned
    July 8, 2020

    They need to check the prices to travel on Silver Airlines. It costs sometimes over $1,000 to travel from the VIs to Dominica on Silver Airlines.

  19. Cdr. Bud Slabbaert
    July 8, 2020

    Air fares too high? If destinations are interested in getting more visitors, their governments could lower the taxes on the air fares (landing fees, departure tax, security fees, etc.), and then the total air fare would be lower. When air fares are lower and more visitors are coming, those visitors will spend more at the destination and governments will be compensated trough local taxes. In many cases the government taxes on the airfares are/were almost as high as the airfare price of the airline itself. Lowering the airfares by lowering the taxes could also increase the number of aircraft passengers (payload).

  20. Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
    July 8, 2020

    Thomson, any replacement to LIAT will be the same as long as the route remains the same!
    Most Dominicans do not understand the only resolve for the issue at hand is that without an International Airport built in Dominica to accommodate International flights directly into and out of Dominica, with a thousand regional flights per day the situation will be the same!

    Can you imagine that the UWP was building an International Airport at a cost of less than four ($400,000,000.00) hundred million dollars more than twenty years ago; when Roosevelt Skerrit, Rosie Douglas, Athie Martin, former prime minister Charles, the late, and short term PM Revere abated by their stupid supporters cheered when they shut it down.
    I suppose they chanted; “we doh want it; we doh want it!”

    Why the labor party and their ignorant supporters “doh want it” they  claimed Antigua and Barbados have one already, I don’t know if they thought the revenues from Antigua, and Barbados Airport went into…

    • Man bites dogs
      July 8, 2020

      @Francisco, You are a dam hypocrite liar get your facts right about UWP and that so-called International airport they were going to build was a joke even the money you quoted is wrong in a matter of fact everything Edison James, and his calamity government did was disaster so shut up ……

      • Papa Dom
        July 9, 2020

        What facts are you bringing to the table? It’s 2020 grow up and start facing reality otherwise shut the front door.

      • Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
        July 9, 2020

        Well, you Mr. ….. can’t read, can’t spell, if you have better information on the amount of money it cost more than twenty years ago; contradict me by quoting the amount in dollars and cents; let’s see how much different it was.

        Boy, talking nonsense is not my business, the truth is what matters. You are running your mouth off in defense of a damn thief; meanwhile the dictator and thief lives above the law in the country, accumulating personal wealth.

        Shall I ask you Dog, who has the $1.2 billion dollars missing from the ………?

        Man, someone stole (thief): in a local broken language “tiff” one billion two hundred million dollars from Dominica government ……..

        Who stole that money; surely it’s not I Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque. It’s not my cousin Lennox Linton; because he does have friends in the treasury, he has no keys to the treasury; so who brook in and thief that money.
        A supporter of the corrupted thief; or, are you the…

        • Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
          July 14, 2020

          Ooooooooooooooooooopppppppppppppppssssssssssssssssssss!

          My mistake eh!

           It’s not my cousin Lennox Linton; because he does have friends in the treasury, he

            Let that read ” It’s not my cousin Lennox Linton; because he does not; “do not ” have friends in the treasury!

      • Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
        July 9, 2020

        Here is my account, give the reading audience yours; work was started on the International Airport.

        Eighty percent of the money was borrowed from the government of Trinidad & Tobago, with an agreement that the construction was to be conducted by engineers and contractors from Trinidad.

        The Peoples Republic of China (the Chines Government) donated money in the form of a grant, never to be repaid; Roosevelt Rosie Douglas (the late) said whatever they gave and loan was not enough.

        The government of Taiwan; gave Dominica grant of $US 10,000.00 dollars, never to be repaid, and a loan in the amount of US$10,000.00 dollars to be repaid with an interest rate of 4%.

        The late labor man Raglan Rags Revere; stated that 4% interest was placing Dominica in economic slavery.

        Ian Douglas followed Rags stating that the labor party can build it at a fraction of the cost Edison was spending, and what Dominica need is a soft loan!
        What is a soft loan, Man Dog?

        I doh know!

      • Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
        July 11, 2020

        I forget to tell you Mr. Man Dog, I doh dignifying rubbish eh!

        I doh working in rubbish no more oui!

        Hahahahahahahahahahah!

    • Kawant woseau
      July 8, 2020

      I thought at one time you commented that it was the st Vincent …. minister that said,Dominica does not need an international airport?but anyway,before this plan demic…skerrit was getting set to give you your long awaited international airport,i hope you all realize,for an international airport to stay relevant,investors most flow in…not trickle,and i know Dominicans like yourself not coming to invest,zou ani emay pale.

      • Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
        July 11, 2020

        If you are trying to contradict me please quote me correctly, because lying is of no interest to me; I d not have to lie to defend what is known.

        Every Dominica may remember Roosevelt Skerrit is the one who brought Ralph Gonzales Prime Minister of St. Vincent, put him on a political platform in front of a podium where Ralph specifically told you ignorant supporters of Roosevelt Skerrit that Dominica does not need an International Airport.

        He told Roosevelt and his supporters all Roosevelt has to do is refurbish the old dilapidated terminal building, and install landing lights on the Runway, and that is all we need.

        Roosevelt took that stupid advise, and spend more than half of a billion dollars following that stupid advise when $500,000,000.00 dollars could have built a new International Airport.

        If you wanted to here it again here it is!

        You all can write all sorts of crap in defense of Roosevelt incompetents without an International Airport Dominica is doomed!

    • Graysonj Stedman
      July 8, 2020

      Mr. Telemacque, your comments regarding an international airport is much appreciated, and will service national returning home on vacation and or national going a vacation to north America and or Europe and elsewhere, The issue at hand is LIAT and regional travel which is essential for the CARICOM member states. Am I to assume you are saying that if we had an international airport, we would have no need for the services of LIAT, or if we had an international airport LIAT would not have these financial problems.

      • Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
        July 11, 2020

        You talk about regional travel; if regional travel was that essential LIAT would not be a none profitable entity from its inception!
        Let me tell you many years ago, Gerald Watts, a lawyer by profession minister of tourism in the George Walters government  in Antigua, half Dominican; born to a Dominican mother identified LIAT major problem is limitation to its flying route, which is limited to the Caribbean.

        He insisted that the resolve is International Flights.
        That observation evolved in the 1970’s, Gerald Watts concluded in order for that resolve to be effective undoubtedly Dominica, must have an International Airport; mind you he did not specify St. Vincent should have an international Airport.
        The Dominican prime Minister then, and in fact John nor Eugenia Charles showed interest in building an International Airport; you saw what John did he rather built Cain Field Runway running North and South of the ocean dealing with wind-share potentially a death trap.

        Eventually…

    • July 9, 2020

      Francisco Dodds Telemaque, could you show us the costing on this $400,000,000 airport that your party was going to build? Have you forgotten that your government borrowed money from Trinidad to help build said international airport and all was used to pay government debt, lying will not change that fact. This is about inter island travel and having an international airport is of no significance. Antigua, Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Kitts, Grenada, St. Vincent and Trinidad all have international airports, yet they are all scrambling to get a replacement for LIAT, why? The large planes that service international airports cannot island hop as it would be uneconomical. Too often i see a LIAT flight land at Douglas Charles to drop off 5 or eight passengers…….

      • July 10, 2020

        @Annon– “This is about inter-island travel and having an international airport is of no significance.
        Antigua, Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Kitts, Grenada, St. Vincent and Trinidad all have international airports, yet they are all scrambling to get a replacement for LIAT, why? The large planes that service international airports cannot island-hop”

        Telemaque does not have that fact in his mind. Seems to be thinking that a Jet Plane will take from Los Angeles nonstop to Dominica. He is not considering the capacity of a Jet Plane and the number of people who are flying to Dominica–even if there would be Tourist on board. Who wants to fly their airplane straight to a certain destination with less than half-full?

        They do not understand that the idea of having a smaller airplane, for the regions, is for the purpose of island-hoping. I don’t need a Jetplane to take me from Dominica to Barbados if that is my destination.

        • Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
          July 12, 2020

          Elizabeth You are talking fart, you only happen to know the islands you called have international Airports after you read where I disclosed that.
          And as for they all are scrambling to replace LIAT is a damn lie! The only islands actually affected by the shutting down of LIAT are Antigua, Barbados, St. Vincent, and Dominica.

          Dominica is worst off than the other three.
          It’s not because of a lack of flights into and out of Antigua and Barbados, its about the Jobs that will be lost  on the three islands.

          There is a Hanger in Antigua where lots of people with technical knowledge and resources in the serving of the LIAT fleet of aircraft’s; the same apply  to Barbados; loosing jobs on those islands is government revenue lost.

          Gonzales problem is International flights are still limited to St.
          Vincent.

          There are six direct and indirect flights to St Vincent every week, operated by two airlines.
          However,  people struggle to find flights to St Vincent.

          Dominica problem…

      • July 10, 2020

        Continuation to Annon

        The other thing is that the international airline must be almost full with travelers its destination

        I don’t see Dominica having enough passengers, even if tourists are added, to fill up a JET plane at Douglas Charles Airport, to fly straight to a certain destination. The same is for landing there

        You said: “too often I see a LIAT flight land at Douglas Charles to drop off 5 or eight passengers”, that is factual

        In 2013, the LIAT airplane that dropped me to Dominica was heading to Trinidad; so how many of us, Dominicans, were on that airline?

        Also, those who were going to Trinidad were in the region; for Trinidad has its own international airport, they would not need LIAT to take them there

        I really believe that an international airport is a waste of money for the government–the cost to build it is one thing, but the cost to maintain it will be a “killer”. My fellow government, remember you heard it from me

      • Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
        July 11, 2020

        Anon, your are not even funny; and ignorance will not help you; don’t ask me to show you if you want to truly know how much Edison James was spending; and cannot accept what I quoted; ask Ian Douglas, Athie Martin, Roosevelt Skerrit, or any of the other idiots.

        Charles, Revere, and Roosevelt Douglas are dead; so you can’t get any information from them unless you can talk with dead people.

        Now I know you have a a friend name Elizabeth, who knows how to talk to gods, and dead people, perhaps she she can get information from the dead for you.

        Hahahahahahahahahah!

        Seriously, you are is much more trivial than difficult.

        If you were not being ignorant, you would have realized that there is truth to the figure I quoted; because construction work was started. The Secondary School built in Wesley by the UWP  was part of the entire project.

        I iterate, the Trinidad Engineers and contractors building the airport were hostile chased out of from Dominica.

      • Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
        July 11, 2020

        ” Have you forgotten that your government borrowed money from Trinidad to help build said international airport and all was used to pay government debt, lying will not change that fact. ”

        If you were not ignorant, the rubbish in the quote above you would simple sallow: you are the damn liar!

        A project as such if the State Treasury cannot undertake or does not have the money, the alternative is to borrow  money from financial institutions, or a foreign government.

        At the time Dr.  Erick Williams of Trinidad agreed to help any government in the Caribbean  endeavoring to developing projects; which will not compete with Trinidad.

        Hence, they decided to loan Dominica 80% the cost; China gave free money and a grant too, Taiwan did the same.What did the Labor Party do after they shut down the construction, they used the money for all sorts corrupted purpose; and refused to pay back the money; the government Trinidad had to take labor government to court to get their money…

    • L Bee Jay
      July 9, 2020

      @Francisco, how is an international airport going to get Dominicans from Dominica to Trinidad, or the BVI, or Barbados, or St.Kitts. or St. Thomas? How? International airlines will get us from Dominica to the US, or Dominica to Europe. But a Dominican who has to travel to Barbados for a visa, how will the international airport help? Do you even think before you fingers touch the keyboard?

      • July 10, 2020

        @L Bee Jay: Exactly!!!!!!!

      • Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
        July 11, 2020

        You see, an International flight don’t only fly from point A to point B!

        An International flight from England to Dominica may have passengers traveling to Barbados, or any of the islands of the Caribbean and even to Countries in South America, Guyana included.

        So, the same applies to flights originating in North America; flight destine to Dominica, when it gets there if there are passengers going from Dominica to Trinidad, they get on that flight, to Trinidad.

        I don’t know if you ever travel on an International flight; I have boarded International Flights in Germany, which touch down in England, though destine for Trinidad and Guyana.

        I have boarded International Flights in Miami which to touched down in Antigua and continued to Barbados Trinidad and Guyana.

        Commercial flights goes anywhere the passengers are: and here is an example; I flew on a American Airline flight from Miami to Antigua with less than hundred people aboard, nevertheless it took off loaded flying…

  21. Remove those Taxes
    July 8, 2020

    Boss when we analyze the cost of the ticket, most of it goes in government taxes? The is a major part of the problem. Some time ago there was even a petition asking governments to lower those taxes; that must have fallen on deaf ears.

    It’s cheaper to hop the ferry and go to Guadeloupe or Martinique for the weekend and a plane.

    Demand would perhaps increase if the price was more attractive. If one guy sells his tuna for $8 a pound and the one next to him $5 a pound, guess where we’ll go?

    • July 9, 2020

      What is lost here is that we are forgetting that it is expensive to operate an airline. Most major airline have to get government subsidy and even with government subsidy some of them still go under. CAL is still flying because it is backed by th TT government. So if as a people we want a regional airline to succeed just pay the high price and stop complaining. Travel more .

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