(ANTIGUA NEWS ROOM) — Former Prime Minister Owen Arthur will be the next Chairman of regional airline LIAT, Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne has announced.
There has been no word from Prime Minister Mia Mottley so far regarding the appointment.
Arthur replaces Dr Jean Holder, also from Barbados, who resigned late last year.
“You would recognise there will be a new chairman. In fact, former Prime Minister of Barbados Owen Arthur, he will take over as the new chairman of LIAT,” the prime minister announced on Saturday.
He said Arthur is the right man for the job given his history of fighting for LIAT.
“And I have to tell you, I don’t think there could be any better candidate,” Browne said.
“Owen Arthur would have spent a large amount of his prime ministerial equity ensuring the survival of LIAT, and now that it is at the crossroads again, I think that Owen is the right person to lead LIAT out of these difficulties.”
Browne said there will be personnel and other changes but did not go into detail.
“We have come to a consensus on the way forward so a lot of the differences that existed we’ve been able to resolve them and I believe LIAT has a very bright future ahead of it,” Browne said.
He also said LIAT will be capitalised with the US$ 15 million loan Antigua obtained from the ALBA Bank as well as $5 million from Dominica “and the others will put in a few millions.”
He said the plan is to raise between $20 to 30 million to recapitalise the airline.
