Former LIAT Country Manager for St Lucia, Josse Mesmim has called on other regional governments including Dominica to follow in the footsteps of the St Lucian administration and pay severance to the ex-employees of LIAT 1974 Ltd.
Mesmim made the plea on Friday, when 47 former employees received terminal benefits from the St Lucia government, in the form of bond certificates, collectively worth millions.
“I hope we have set a precedence for the other governments in the region to come forth and pay the rest of my colleagues. The St Lucian workers will be the first set of LIAT employees to receive their severance,” Mesmim said.
Last Friday, the St. Lucia government made good on its promise to make severance and other termination benefit payments to former workers of the Antigua-based airline, LIAT (1974) Limited following the collapse of the company in 2020.
Prime Minister Phillip J Pierre, a few months ago, said that as part of its policy to prioritize the interests of St. Lucian workers, LIAT workers will be paid.
Pierre, who had during the budget presentation in July, first announced the plans to meet the outstanding payments to the LIAT employees said that the approximate value of the compensation package for the former employees would exceed six million EC dollars.
The St Lucian workers were paid in bond certificates which are cash redeemable and can also be used as collateral to secure loans.
The major shareholder governments of LIAT are Dominica, Grenada, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, and St Vincent and The Grenadines.
These developments follow a collective decision by the heads of these governments at a recent meeting to liquidate LIAT 1974 Ltd with no mention of the millions owed to ex-employees.
Ibo France you need to read your own comment the government of Antigua barbuda I offer a 2million dollars bond, cash or lands for the Antiguan workers of liat it’s the union playing politics with the workers and for your information THE HON. GASTON BROWNE IS THE BEST PRIME MINISTER IN THE CARIBBEAN.
Kudos to prime minister, Phillip Pierre of St. Lucia. This was the morally right thing to do. I think Barbados has done the same for its former LIAT workers if I’m not mistaken.
Don’t expect any of the same from the two pariahs of the OECS, waste Brown Paper (Gaston) and Capital Dunce (Roosevelt). These are renegades with hearts made of cast iron. The hottest parts of Hell are reserved for these two maggots. It’s a fact, both bad eggs have an affinity for foreigners and nothing but disdain and contempt for their own people. You can’t make a tasty omelet with rotten eggs.
Ibo France
Please keep yourself updated before posting incorrect information. Antigua did offer severance to the Antigua Workers. I don’t know about Barbados and Dominica. Happy for the St. Lucia LIAT employees.
Ex Liat Employee
Read my comments again. Where did I mention that the government of Antigua a argues paid the former LIAT workers severance? Clearly you have misconstrued the message in the comments.
Congrats to those in St Lucia I feel Dominica next …lol