ST. JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – A delegation from Antigua and Barbuda has traveled to Barbados for talks with aviation and other officials there as Prime Minister Gaston Browne has indicated that Bridgetown will collaborate with St. John’s to support the air bridge between Africa and the Caribbean.
A statement issued following the weekly Cabinet meeting noted that Prime Minister Brown had signed an agreement with Africa’s largest private carrier, Air Peace, to boost investments in LIAT 2020 Ltd.
“Air Peace will become the funding source for LIAT (2020) and owns 70 percent of the shares, while 30 percent will go towards Antigua and Barbuda. A team from Antigua and Barbuda has left for Barbados to commence consultations on making a LIAT (2020) viable.
“The Cabinet was informed that support is also likely forthcoming from Dominica and St. Vincent,” the Cabinet statement said.
Air Peace is the largest privately owned airline in Africa, with a fleet of over 38 aircraft and over 3000 employees, serving markets in Africa, the Middle East, India, China, and Israel.
In July 2020, the Antigua Barbuda government said LIAT 2020 Ltd, which replaced the cash-strapped LIAT (1974), will benefit from an initial investment of US $15-20 million.
Speaking to reporters, Chief of Staff in the office of the Prime Minister, Lionel “Max” Hurst, confirmed that Prime Minister Browne had held talks with his Barbadian counterpart, Mia Mottley, adding an assurance had been given that the country would collaborate with the twin-island nation to support the air bridge.
“Barbados has indicated its willingness to work alongside Antigua in making the connection with the African continent, the air bridge being built with the African continent, Barbados is willing to participate.
“Barbados has also indicated that the issue of LIAT 2020 will also provide the kind of uplift that Antigua and Barbuda needs and that Antigua and Barbuda is not going alone. I believe both Dominica and St. Vincent have signaled similar promises of assistance, and the Grenaa delegation from here has already left for Bridgetown “ to commence consultations on making LIAT 2020 a viable option.
He said discussions would be held with officials in the Barbados Ministry of Aviation “that would allow for the flight that Air Peace will begin with, flying from Lagos to Antigua“ would go on to Barbados and may even leave Barbados and return directly to the African continent.”Some of the details are yet to be worked out. Still, we can see the participation of Barbados in every significant venture where Air Peace will own 70 percent of LIAT and Antigua and Barbuda will hold for the time being 3 percent.
”Antigua, of course, is more than willing to reduce its ownership share to ensure that other countries in the Caribbean can have a piece of the pie,” Hurst added.
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