The government of Antigua and Barbuda remains committed to the relaunch of LIAT (Antigua and Barbuda) under the new corporate structure of LIAT 2020, despite what it called "hostile attempts" by other Caribbean countries to jeopardise the process, the Antigua Observer has reported.
"The public must be aware that there are hostile attempts to reprise from Antigua the central role that LIAT has played in our economy and as a regional air carrier. LIAT did not just fall out of the sky during Covid-19; there were purposive efforts made to weaken the position of LIAT operating from a hub in Antigua and to re-establish the hub in the southern part of the Caribbean," Information Minister Melford Nicholas said.
Nicholas pointed the finger at Barbados, one of the shareholders of LIAT, as the main force slowing down the airline's revival.
LIAT went into administration in July 2020 but managed to restart in November 2020 under a temporary framework and operating a reduced schedule. The airline's shareholders resolved to eventually replace it with LIAT 2020, a newco without the legacy costs of LIAT, but the plan has been stuck in limbo over funding for the new entity. While the governments of Antigua and Dominica are committed to financing the newco, the other shareholders have yet to do so.
LIAT was owned by the governments of Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Barbados, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. It currently operates three ATR42-600s.
