Air Jamaica, Carib Air deal safe - Warner

Jermaine Lannaman, Gleaner Writer

Trinidad and Tobago deputy prime minister, and minister of transport and works, Austin 'Jack' Warner, says Jamaicans should not worry about the deal between Caribbean Airlines and Air Jamaica falling through.

Speaking at the launch of Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) FIFA-sponsored Technical Centre at the University of the West Indies, Mona, Monday, Warner said he was not for the deal initially, however, after a call from JFF president, Captain Horace Burrell, and assurances from his technical staff, he was now more comfortable.

"I wasn't in favour of saving Air Jamaica originally, as I didn't think it was in Trinidad and Tobago's best interest," said Warner, who is also vice-president of FIFA, and president of the Caribbean Football Union, and the Confede-ration of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football.

"But Burrell on the advice of the prime minister called me to look into the possibilities of Caribbean Airlines and Air Jamaica co-existing, and benefiting each other.

"After speaking with him, I then went back to my technical people, and they said it could work, with both airlines operating at a world-class standard. It was then I decided to sign the US$49.5 million take-over deal.

Contract

I hope this is the last time I will have to say this, but there is no need to worry, and on October 21 when the contract is signed it will signal a new beginning for Air Jamaica, just as it is the case today with football," he declared.

Warner's comments comes approximately two months after Trinidad and Tobago prime minister, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, assured that concerns regarding the recent deal between Air Jamaica and Caribbean Airlines would be resolved to the benefit of both countries.

Persad-Bissessar made the disclosure at the 31st Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community, which was held at the Rose Hall Resort, Montego Bay.

Caribbean Airlines took over Air Jamaica's operations in May following an agreement in April.

Under the agreement, the Trinidadian government was slated to contribute working capital to facilitate the merger, while the Jamaican Government assumed the debt and covered the winding-up costs.

However, concerns were raised about the deal by Persad-Bissessar's administration prior and on assuming office in May.

She, however, explained at the Heads of Government Conference that the concerns were raised on issues of transparency, as her party was not aware of the details of the agreement, nor did it have an input in the decisions involved in the takeover.

"It took us a little while in Trinidad, as a new government, to review the agreement plus other areas relating to Caribbean Airlines. We felt that we needed to get as much information as we could.

Persad-Bissessar, however, prior to leaving the conference, said that there were "one or two areas" which she would like to discuss with Prime Minister Bruce Golding.

Caribbean Airlines started operations in January 2007, and now serves 13 markets in the Caribbean, South America and North America.

Caribbean Airlines Air Jamaica operation serves four destinations in the United States and Canada, along with Grenada and the Bahamas.