There was an interesting article in a daily newspaper recently which gave some facts surrounding the controversial aircraft deal involving Caribbean Airline and which led to the firing of the company's CEO. The article suggests that negotiations for the deal had commenced under the old Board and that the ATR company was the preferred choice.
These negotiations continued under the CEO when the last Board resigned following the general election of May 24. This seems appropriate since the CEO did not allow negotiations to fall flat in the absence of a Board. It is further stated that the line Minister, Jack Warner approved of the ATR choice. Warner eventually took a note to Cabinet who approved the decision in September. It appears that the choice of ATR was a more feasible one. In the first place their bid was cheaper.
Secondly, their package included aspects of training and maintenance of the fleet not contained in the other bids. No wonder Mr Warner and the Cabinet were impressed. But then comes the new Board under George Nicholas III. He insists on reversing the deal and fires his CEO for not "pulling his line." All of this is done without consulting the Minister.
Who was the CAL Board serving when it acted so unilaterally and embarrassed the Minister of Works and Transport? Was it serving the minister, the Cabinet and the Prime Minister? Was it serving the people? Or was it serving the ambitions of the Chairman? In all of this, the most puzzling thing is the Prime Minister's silence on the issue. Her silence has embarrassed the minister further and it is not the first time.
When Keith Rowley said it was conflict of interest for Mr Warner to be a minister in Cabinet, the PM said he would "do the right thing" as if Warner was doing the wrong thing. Then recently the PM publicly rescinded a contract Warner had granted at AATT, when she could have done so within Cabinet. All of this has embarrassed the hardest working MP and minister in the country. I am deeply saddened by this. The PM must stand up and stand up now!
We voted to rise not to sink under like the PNM. Warner played a big part in your victory. As a constituent of Chaguanas West, I am fully behind him and would like to see you do the same. We need you to do something about Caribbean Airlines.
Radica Maharaj
Via e-mail