Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley says the importance of Caribbean Airlines (CAL) to regional air transportation was one of the key areas discussed during his five-day trip to Jamaica.
He said the issue came up when the delegation met with a committee which had been set up to look at Jamaica’s relationship with Caricom-member countries.
Noting they also met with former Jamaica prime minister Bruce Golding, he said it led to extremely valuable discussions for our country.
“We discussed at length Caribbean Airlines in the context of air transport and the role of Air Jamaica in Caribbean Airlines and the expectation of Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago as shareholders in this airline.”
Discussions also focused on developing inter-island sea transport in the region, which T&T can pursue to improve inter-regional travel.
Rowley said they met also with Jamaica’s head of security, as things have been put in place for further contact.
“A number of things would have to be done with what we have been discussing in terms of carrying out our commitments, as well as making adjustments in our locals laws to regionalise some actions which have to take place,” he said.
Rowley said Caribbean Airlines had acquired Air Jamaica under certain conditions, one of which was that Jamaica had a 16 per cent shareholding in CAL. He said there was a bit more appetite for a regional airline, where CAL could become the carrier of more than one nation.
Following a trip to UWI’s Mona Campus, Rowley said his Government was able to get an insight into what was happening at the university and what it held for T&T students studying there and those who had plans on going there in the future.
Many of the students there, Rowley said, had concerns about the proposed cuts to the Government Assistance for Tuition Expenses (Gate) programme, which he said was “getting ahead of itself in terms of a report being before the Cabinet.
“And until that report is digested by the Cabinet and it considers its recommendation, while that is going on there is some anxiety which we had to respond to.”
Having toured the Mona Campus, Rowley said they made some comparisons with what existed in T&T.
“Not just in servicing the students on campus, but servicing the nation of Jamaica. We would have to look to see toward what extent we are serviced in a similar way in Trinidad and Tobago,” he added.
He said his visit to the campus, where he assured T&T students there was no need to panic about the impending Gate adjustments, was valuable.
He said the intervention between both countries were necessary and timely.