Trinidad and Tobago's Transport Minister, Austin "Jack" Warner, has admitted that he struggled to accept the deal in which Air Jamaica was acquired by Caribbean Airlines.
Mr. Warner, speaking Monday at the FIFA Goal Project, at the University of the West Indies, said the deal was difficult to accept, especially given Trinidad and Tobago's financial position.
“I didn't think it was it was good for Trinidad and Tobago but captain [JFF President Captain Horace Burrell] called and I said fine, he asked for help and he put his Prime Minister on and I went back and reviewed it with my tactical people and they said it could work…to the betterment of both countries,” Mr. Warner said.
“Our tactical people said that if we merge the airlines and have a Caribbean airline that can wow the world so to speak, it was on that basis we approved the US$49.5 million for nine aircrafts to be purchased, five to be leased and a host of other benefits to make Air Jamaica and Caribbean Airlines a better airline,”
Mr. Warner said with everything in the deal now sealed, the Trinidad government will move forward with reforming Air Jamaica and Caribbean Airlines, as a merged entity.
“There is no cause for worry and by October 31st when the deal is signed and delivered there will be a new dawn, a new era in airlines in the Caribbean as there is today in football in Jamaica,” he said.
Caribbean Airlines acquired Air Jamaica on May One, under the former Patrick Manning administration.
All feeds
