Nigerian airline, AIR PEACE, is expected to soon take up 70 percent stake in LIAT 2020 Ltd, Prime Minister of Antigua, Gaston Browne has announced.
Speaking on ABS News in Antigua, Browne said the carrier will run only on a commercial basis and it will not be a “regional bus.”
“The airline will be operating strictly on a commercial basis so it will not be a regional bus,” he stated. “We are looking forward to the eventual operationalization of this new LIAT–LIAT 2020. We are committed to doing all we can to ensure its viability and sustainability.”
He pointed out that LIAT 2020 Ltd is presently operating two aircraft and fewer routes but all this will change when the new arrangements with AIR PEACE are finalized.
“They will bring some assets and we will also acquire some assets as well and hopefully we can have maybe five, six aircraft operating within the region under the name LIAT,” Browne revealed.
He stated that LIAT is a strong and regional brand that should be maintained.
“I am hoping that we can make this a reality so we can protect the existing jobs and even to create jobs for those employees that are displaced, especially the pilots,” he said.
In 2022, the governments of Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, and St. Vincent & the Grenadines – the four major shareholders of LIAT (Antigua and Barbuda) (LI, Antigua) – resolved to liquidate the debt-ridden and iconic regional airline and transfer its assets to a new company called, LIAT 2020 (Antigua).
When the announcement was made, the old company, operating under the legal name, LIAT (1974) Ltd., had been in bankruptcy restructuring since July 2020.
AIR PEACE is a private Nigerian airline that was founded in 2013. Its head office is located in Ikeja, Lagos State, Nigeria.
The airline flies to major cities across Nigeria, several West African destinations, and the Middle East, within countries including the Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and the United Arab Emirates.
On its website, the airline said its mission is “to expand locations both domestically and beyond as the largest and most profitable airline company to achieve safe, efficient, affordable short and long-haul services.”
Recently we had a huge contingency of Africans in Barbados visiting the region and its leaders in regards to investments and trade opportunities across regions. This may have been one of the opportunities. Hope travel to African countries becomes easier.
Oh, lord!
I thought I was the only one who saw his contradiction; the man is so confounded and lie, he could not even recognized he was contradicting himself.
All liars are thieves also, and normally they associate with each other. A liar, and thief in Dominica, must have friends in the region, including Antigua.
So, Dominicans should be asking Roosevelt Skerrit what amount of shares does Dominica have in LIAT now, since Nigerians known to be notorious thieves has acquired 70% of LIAT: 100-70 =30 so, if one divide thirty by four: 30/4 = 7.5%, so assuming that Barbados, Dominica, St. Vincent and Grenada each own 7.5 %, they have no say in the operation of the this remeant of LIAT, and will never collect one dime in dividends!
But this guy is a complete idiot, contradicting himself; might be high or inebriated on some illegal substance.
First he said this:
Speaking on ABS News in Antigua, Browne said the carrier will run only on a commercial basis and it will not be a “regional bus.”
“The airline will be operating strictly on a commercial basis so it will not be a regional bus,” he stated. “We are looking forward to the eventual operationalization of this new LIAT–LIAT 2020. ”
Then he said this:
“They will bring some assets and we will also acquire some assets as well and hopefully we can have maybe five, six aircraft operating within the region under the name LIAT,” Browne revealed.
That boy and Roosevelt Skerrit seems to be on the same educational level, although they say he is college educated.
These scoundrels has no shame!
He contradicts his own stupid comments.
This announcement of the sale of LIAT by PM Gaston Browne is shameful and disgraceful and an affront to all proud Caribbean people. As a matter of fact all regional leaders of the Caribbean should be held to account to its people for the liquidation of Liat as an iconic symbol of Caribbean enterprise and co-operation
The principles of regional cooperation and unity enshrined in CARICOM should have compelled regional heads of governments to come to the negotiating table to preserve the assets of LIAT in combination with CAL as a strategic operating airline and transforming the ownership of regional air transport for the benefit of all Caribbean countries. However it appears that insularity and ambitions of personal grandeur will continue to haunt the development of Caribbean people
Gaston and Skerrit corruption magnet
Air Peace? More like RIP – Rest In Peace – airline I would think.
Nigerian airline operating in the Caribbean? Gaston, you pulling my leg boy, worse even than your mate Skerrit, who I’m sure would not fly Air Peace.either and nor would I.
look now LIAT Finnish and destroyed
allu remember the Nigerian airline he say was coming
I have so little confidence in what Gaston Browne says.
“The airline will be operating strictly on a commercial basis so it will not be a regional bus,” he stated. Then in the same breathe he saying LIAT; will not be a ‘regional bus’ says Antigua PM, boy come out dere eh. Liat is a waste of time and that Air Peace even worse, just do a search on youtube “Air Peace” and you will see what kind of company just buy Liat…
LIAT is not a waste of time. Regional Governments are a waste of time.
You can’t make these things up. A simple Google search of Air Peace, Nigeria, revealed the following:
By Chiamaka Okafor March 15, 2022
Authorities in the U.S. state of Georgia have dissolved Springfield Aviation Company LLC allegedly used for bank fraud and money laundering by the CEO and Chairman of Air Peace, Allen Onyema. Owned and controlled by Mr. Onyema, Springfield Aviation Company LLC was formed on April 4, 2016, as a domestic limited liability company. ..But on November 22, 2019, the U.S. Department of Justice announced the charging of Mr Onyema, accusing him of moving more than $20 million from Nigeria through United States bank accounts in a scheme involving false documents based on the purchase of aeroplanes…
This is Gaston Browne for your money. The guy continues to embarrass himself at every step.