Two events occurred in the news this week which confirmed to BU that Caricom is in a coma. A mini-Caricom summit held in Guyana saw four heads absent, Prime Minister of Trinidad among them. In the obligatory end of summit communiqué which nobody reads except Rickey Singh, the heads advised the world implementation of a common currency would be further delayed until a review of the Guyana-based Caricom Secretariat. Have to admit the decision was a surprise, in fact the Caribbean is still in shock!
The other happening was REDjet’s decision to cancel plans to fly the Trinidad and Jamaica air routes. It is no secret both Jamaica and Trinidad have frustrated REDjet’s application to operate its low-cost airline between Barbados, Guyana, Trinidad and Jamaica. Barbados and Guyana gave the all clear to REDjet about a month ago.
One of the hindrances to movement of people in the region, whether for leisure or business, is the prohibitive cost of air travel. One would have thought our leaders in Caricom would have welcomed the opportunity to clear the hurdles for REDjet and others whose objective is to provide an affordable transportation service. Instead we have the ridiculous situation of the Trinidad and Jamaica governments tag teaming REDjet and as they say the rest is history. Coincidentally the merger agreement between Air Jamaica and Caribbean Airlines after considerable delay was inked yesterday (26 May 2011).
It was not too long ago UWI lecturers Tennyson Joseph and Norman Girvan blamed the late Prime Minister David Thompson for the lack of progress in Caricom. Who are they blaming now? Why is regionalist Peter Wickham silent on this matter? They are all pushing regional integration but we have the leaders from the Big Two in Caricom constructively blocking competition which has the effect of making it expensive for people to move around the region. The hypocrisy has ben truly exposed.
It doesnt get more disgraceful is there recourse for Redjet in international law. Barbados and Guyana governments should come to Redjets assistance by banning CAL from their airspaces.
Why is regionalist Peter Wickham silent on this matter?
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
A better question would be, what does the Freundel Stuart administration have to say about this matter?
Banning CAl from Barbados’ airspace would be detrimental to our tourism product. The Consumer Body should be in the forefront to boycott Trinidadian own businesses.
Peter Wickham is an opportunist only interested in himself.
Shite people, Caricom was only set up as a result of a dictate from the Government of the United States of America to act as a precursor to entering the Free Trade Area of the Americas, that is all. Everything else is smoke and mirrors, particularly now that the FTAA is dead …!
Remember the fourth Summit of Americas in Argentina November 4-5, 2005? I will never forget the front page picture of your Prime Minister Owing After grinning he teet’ wid George Bush ..! That was a step towards sealing the deal but thankfully more intelligent leaders from the South put a spanner in the works.
@Raw Bake
Isn’t Barbados a member of Caricom which is in a coma and helped to sabotaged REDjet?
Yes, Caricom is in a coma, as we have repeatedly pointed out, how can you have a legitimate regional governing orgainsation, when significant member states i.e. Jamaica and T&T, do not even subscribe to the ‘regional’ (sic) CCJ?
A repeat of the 60′s.
Caricom never will be a genuine united region.
As for those who use the EU as an example, it may actually be indicative, as I anticipate the EU falling apart anyway, if not sooner, then later.
The vagaries of economic difficulties and political disagreements will cause a breakup, even if only then reducing the EU to the original few.
Note well that England has, rightfully, kept the Sterling.
Trading concessions between the islands and a certain amount of ‘freedom’ of movement within the region is about all we can hope for.
Time to be honest about it.
From my end, I can’t see RedJET continuing as a viable commercial entity with 70 staff (?), 2 planes and 1 route, four times a week. Even till the end of June.
Is it unreasonable to think that REDjet investors/management should have anticipated the roadblocks to starting up the airline? It is the Caribbean for godsakes.
The Barbados government seems to be invisible on this matter. I therefore proclaim that ALL Bajan consumers DO NOT TRAVEL ON CAL AT ALL! Tell your friends in the USA NOT TO TRAVEL ON CAL. If that is how business is done in the Caribbean it tells us that exactly what these so called governments think of Barbados. we need to take a stance on this. Or are we going to roll over and play dead? Where is the Minister of Tourism? Where is the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if there is one? Have they all gone dumb? WE SHOULD NOT TAKE THIS LYING DOWN! DAMMIT LET US SHOW SOME BACKBONE MR STUART!
@islandgal246
What did you have for breakfast this morning? The government do something? If it were Barbados perpetuating the roadblocks we would have to suffer the jackasses braying all across the Caribbean; and some homegrown ones as well.
Wait David you calling me a homegrown Jackass?
@BAFBFP
Did not have you in mind when posting the comment.
Also is it unreasonable for the T&T and Jamaica to ask and seek answers from Redjet afterall the flying public lives are at stake here. However Redjet may have to make some adjustment in its prices to have in order to have a level playing field.
ac
If you have been following this matter you would know that safety is not the issue with the REDjet application.
I have read differening views and other periodicals on this issue and safety was one of focus not necessarily the main. However they are other real concerns which affect the public aswell which the othercountries have brought to light. One monkey does not make a show sometimes it is important to see others point of view and not to have “Tunnel vision” read the article in the Tinidian guardian concerning the problems which has affected the haulting of Redjet and it is not all about competition
@ac
In the case of Barbados the Civil Aviation Authority was understaffed and this contributed to the delay in REDjet getting the green light.
In the case of T&T and Jamaica the merger of CAL and Air Jamaica (signed coincidentally in the 26 May) and the air route rights has become the issue.
All the other issues are red herrings.
David asked islandgal……………”What did you have for breakfast this morning?”
Well David I had a bowl of fedupness and some sour grapes. I can see that in these difficult times each man is for his own or with whoever they can get something from. I have always said that you will see the true nature of a person where money is involved. Perhaps an inter island ferry service would have been more a viable project for Red jet and its investors. If we as a Caribbean people cannot pull together in these hard times I am afraid there is no hope for us. We are like crabs in a barrel.
What amazes me is that Trinidad comes to Barbados and competes against our companies with their oil rich dollar, and yet they don’t want a Barbadian registered aircraft to compete with their aircraft.
This is wickedness plain and simple.
Trinidad stands to gain tremendously as persons from Barbados will be going there to shop. When flights were more reasonably about 5-10 years ago you could not go on Frederick Street, or Brian Lara Promenade without seeing a Bajan.
But surely this must be Barbados’ and the current administration’s fault. If the nation, Starcom, Ricky Singh and crew are to be believed, Barbados, especially Barbados under this administration, is the major block to further regional integration. The other memebrs of Caricom are all ging ho and ready to go with all and any initiatives that enhance regional integration.
Anybody know where to find trinidadian lover Vic -market vendor-Fernandes, Rickey Singh, Wickham, David Ellis et al who lambast Barbados for anti Caribbean behaviour.
David wrote, “Is it unreasonable to think that REDjet investors/management should have anticipated the roadblocks to starting up the airline? It is the Caribbean for godsakes.”
David Investors do not always have enough knowledge of the level of “problems”.
It is unfortunate that we are only Caribbean geographically.
I have had Buisness dealings with all the countries in the Caribbean and it has ranged from very easy to very difficult.
The one thing these islands have in common is insularity.
At this point in history there is no Caricom. The closest we have come to a unified Caribbean is the West Indies cricket and we all know what an abysmal failure that is at the moment.
@Hants
Bizzy is the local investor known for being business savvy.
Trinidad and Tobago,and Jamaica has put a spoke in the wheel of RedJet. But in todays Nation we are told that the fishermen of Tobago having no market for their catches will be turning to Barbados to offoad their fish, rather than allowing Bajan fishing boats into their waters.
And you know something, they are likely to succeed because of the ballsless, apologetic leadership that we find ourselves with.
We are fast becoming the kickarse nation of the Caribbean. It is so embarrassing, that recently St Kitts PM had to come to the defence of our PM.
@ David
Skippa, you saw the article in the Nation yesterday by the doctor which said that people should RELY more on BUSH TEA? … .well he was talking ’bout the BU family….LOL
If wanna used to rely on BUSH TEA wanna would not be surprised by the Red Jet issue; wanna would not be surprised by the Myrna ‘whatshename’ attempt to denigrate Barbados.
CSME and CARICOM are nothing but red herrings designed (like barreled crabs) , to keep us all at the same lowest common denominator.
For years now the bushman have been preaching that Bajans need to work on focusingOUR resources and improving productivity, creativity etc – but no! wanna looking to regional co-operation to save wanna…. bringing foreigners to own and run everything ’bout here.
RHOSA led the suicidal charge by selling out our best assets to people who dislike us….. now we got trojan horses all over the place- like the Starcom group who are dedicated to bashing anything Bajan; like all of our businesses and banks being run, and their policies dictated, by foreigners; the Power Company and Telephone Company belong to others, and now Bizzy making a strong case to have our land available to others so that we can more easily sell off the last of our birthrights.
We gotta be real IDIOTS! How can we be so blind? …and foolish?
So wanna REALLY expect that these FOREIGN owners care if our cost of living too high? HA HA HA!!!
Wanna REALLY think that Trinidadians interested in fair play by allowing red Jet to compete with CAL? Ha ha ha
…..the shit real close to the fan, sheeple….. the Bushman only hope that wanna got nuff Clorox put down.
Talk all you like, you still have to buy Trinidad and Jamaica products. Stop bellyaching.
The Caricom issue needs a serious examination. This scribe attended Caricom meetings over 25 yrs ago. Can you believe the agenda is still pretty much the same. The crafters word it differently. A few months ago I looked at one and I am so so convinced that we are possibly wasting our resources on that.
@ Hants
“The one thing these islands have in common is insularity”
********************************
…not true Hants, Insularity comes in a close second, but the MAIN thing that we have in common is mendicancy!
Barbados was somewhat behind in this regard some years ago. We worked hard, paid taxes, and pulled our weight…. until a string of political idiots came along promising lots of benefits for little hard work -and added us to the Community of Small Mendicant Entities (CSME). Now we have become boss mendicants…. expecting handouts from the foreigners to whom we have sold our asses (…oops assets)
Face it, the heads of CARICOM are followers, not leaders with a deep love for their people. They are guided by economic models that were created to benefit others and do not have the capacity to lead the changes needed to advance their people. Just look at education in Barbados, the resources spent and what we get in the end – failures and successful followers – the snow capped mountains of Barbados.
David the local investor should know the Caribbean better than Hants.
He should also know that Trinidad and Jamaica are “Big” and “Insular” and ent gine let nuh little island company interfere wid dem airlines.
And Bajans will continue to support the Trinidad and Jamaican Airlines “as per usual”.
They have no choice.
The whole thing is sad. We spent so much time fighting each other and pulling each other down rather than working together. If the Caribbean airlines were well run, timely provided excellent service and reasonably priced the chances of RedJet being interested in providing an airline service in the Caribbean would have been minimal because the market would have been sewn up.
Each man or woman within his or her island needs to learn to work together to accomplish things. If that is ever achieved then there is a possibility of Caricom working. For instance two friends on the same level. One friend manages to save enough to own their own home. the friend without the home should be saying congrats, let me see what I can do to get my own property. Instead there is jealously, the friendship may break down, the negative talk i.e. if I didn’t buy xyz for he or she they couldn’t of got up there etc. . So if we can’t even work together on a basic level how can we realistically expect Caricom to work?
We need a change in mentality.
Bajans have become used to high prices because companies do not “compete”.
Over the last 10 years I have travelled from Toronto to Barbados for as little as $199cad return.
I have never paid more than $500cad return.
Airlines in North America “compete”. They also react to economic conditions and will cut prices to increase sales.
Guyana wants to strike up a deal with Barbados where the tourists to Barbados could grab a cheap RedJet flight to Guyana as part of a tourism package. To you people who believe that Barbados is the sole hero pushing CSME …. Lemme tell wunna now dat Richard Seally will have none of it! You think that Ba’bados gun advertise to have UK tourist come here and then lose dem said same tourises to Guyana ? Not ’bout hey … CSME ? Wunna mekkin’ sport or wah … LOL, LMHO (or wa’ eva’)
West Indies Federation (One from ten leaves nought); the Little Eight; Carifta, Caricom; Carifesta, CSME;CCJ etc.
Please feel free to fill in what I may have omitted, but what do all the above have in common? The stench of failure, soon to be followed by UWI and the cricket team.
Don’t believe me? I hope some of us are around in a few years (dat might be impossible since the average BU contributor median age is 50+) but Redjet is just one of those minor irritants which will stir up anger in B’dos but T&T and Jamaica don’t give a fig about B’dos concerns.
Wunna don’t see the other wedges? How about T & T and Jamaica establishing units at UWI to cover fields of study which were the exclusive responsibility of the other territories? Or Trinidad musing about fielding its own Test cricket team?
The chickens coming home to roost.
UWI is not a problem – Barbados could consider an Education Industry, where internationally recognized universities are allowed to establish, staff and feed interested students into member campuses in Barbados. In fact, why not do so now, as a new economic activity, along with the main industries of tourism and financial services. And while we are at it, also remove the seeming stigma of agriculture by converting that industry to one characterized by greenhouses. Lets not wait for the next crisis.
Minister Kellman, can you imagine the transformation of St. Lucy, the university capital of the world – 10 or more internationally affiliated campuses, all built with the required student accommodation. The need for businesses to be established in St. Lucy to support these new communities; the foreign currency inflows for the capital works and subsequent living expenses of the students and staff; the greenhouse agricultural activity to generate the produce to support the food businesses; the potential intellectual property that may develop; the travel through the GIA at the end of each term; the additional university opportunities for talented Barbadian students; the endless potential for economic activity…
@Bush Tea,
I read the article, forgot to ask, is that you?
@David & BAFBFP,
Lol, that bit was funny. ‘Homegrown jackass’ indeed.
Not that he immediately springs to mind, but this is why I have some respect for Denis Kellman.
Kellman will tell you that the seawater got algae, whereas the usual political idiot will tell you that ‘there is an unidentified matter that probably does not bear danger but….blah blah’…know what I mean?
We need political leaders who say it like it is, albeit due to recent events some would argue that we need political leaders who…say something…anything?!!! Lol
You can’t do anything about it | May 28, 2011 at 11:23 AM |
“the travel through the GIA at the end of each term”
You are wrong it will be SLIA instead of GAIA, if shit had wings, Kellman would have gotten an airport in St. Lucy.
@ Crusoe
No Sir, it was not the Bush Man’s article, (surprised you could not tell from the style LOL), but it is 100% endorsed by the original Bush Tea.
@ the BU family
…all those in favour of accepting advice on how to address our problems from a newcomer, blogging under the name “You can’t do anything about it” …. please say ‘AYE’!
Methinks the Ayes have it. … cause we Bajans foolish so…rotfl
@ YCDAAI
If you understood the value and purpose of ‘Education’, you would NOT be suggesting that particular approach for Barbados …. unless like Bizzy you either have a short term, personal objective in mind which cares nothing about Barbados in the long term….. or you do not understand what you are saying…
If one is savvy, one does not MARKET education!! one uses education to develop one’s most valuable assets to be ready and able to conquer the world. Those assets are – of course- one’s people.
Anytime you commercialize a resource, it means that you are prepared to sell the very best of that product that you have to the highest bidder…. (if you can’t see the problem now you may be beyond the help of bush teas…..)
Education to a Nation is like the blood flowing in a body. It nourishes, heals, energizes, and sustains success. What would it profit you to sell off your best blood…?
Of course you are correct in your other positions, and even in your nom de plume…. but please drop the idea on the business of the commercialization of education…. that kind of draft may be a bit higher than you are currently able to distill…
/It is so embarrassing, that recently St Kitts PM had to come to the defence of our PM./
Read this and was embarassed flyspeck St. Kitts with horrendous murder rate fifty plus a year dissing BIM
Bay Leaf, you clearly do not understand the above… – in fact, you try too hard to demonstrate that which may not be.
You can’t do anything about it wrote
“And while we are at it, also remove the seeming stigma of agriculture by converting that industry to one characterized by greenhouses.”
The stigma in Agriculture can be removed if the farmers,workers own the land they farm.
If the Greenhouses are owned by the workers no problem but what has been good for Hants has to be good for my fellow Bajans.
My late father was a farmer who owned his less than 40 acres and a tractor.
He worked about 12 to 14 hours a day for almost 40 years because he OWNED the farm.
@Bush Tea
You can’t do anything about is proposing the model being practised in Malaysia.
Bush Tea “cause we Bajans foolish so…rotfl”
So foolish that you have one of the highest living standards in the Caribbean despite being a spec in the Ocean with no Oil or natural mineral resources.
166 sq. miles and 280,ooo foolish people living like dem in de USA or Canada.
Bush Tea on Education
“Anytime you commercialize a resource, it means that you are prepared to sell the very best of that product that you have to the highest bidder…”
UWI Cave Hill specializes in Law studies so lemetellya, I fah one will back the whole sale disposal of not only the very best, but the entire product too even the Lowest bidder …. Wah you say?
What was it that the Dipper said about, “who is going to buy my white sand and who is going to buy my grey sand?” Caricom true to form.
And if Redjet fails, it will be a matter of 2 Chronicles Verse 14
“……..My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add thereto: my father chastise you with whips,but I will chastise you with scorpions.”
It is sad and heart wringing that Barbadian voters don’t vote along the line of foreign policies and educational policies. Most of what is affecting Barbadian people and businesses are because of a weak, failed and outdated educational policy and dysfunctional and backward foreign policies. But all the voters of this island is interested in, is charismatic and popularity which on hind sight shows how illiterate the voters are and bad the educational system is.
So stop complaining, you voted for consecutive government election after election where all have shown to be spineless with the Caribbean leaders and thoughtless and crooked with their own people who interest they should be looking out for.
Barbados will never go forward or treated differently among its Caribbean neighbors if the electorate of Barbados dont change their modus operandi at the polls and seriously hold each government to account.
People of Barbados use the power you have, it is greater than any other.
The REDjet Affair may yet prove to be a seminal moment in Caribbean history when some of our leaders are forced to accept that Caricom is in a comatose state and urgent options need to be generated.
It is interesting that Guyana’s president has jumped the gun by developing bilateral relationships with ‘non-traditional’ countries.
I disagree that the big two, Trinidad and Jamaica, stagnate Red Jet coming to their shores. We only need to remember that Barbados is self-sufficient insofar as its neighbors are concerned. It has more educated people than anyone else and are of a superior racial stock — not Negroes, like the rest of plebes in the region. Plus, people might come back from Jamaica to contaminate this pure place: so why have a flight between the two nations! Jamaicans should keep their inferior selves out of this pure place called Barbados!
@Headman John Crow or Irwin or whatever you chose to call your self, your slip is showing. The Myrie Affair simply brought to the surface what was already in the pestle.
A true love for their people is needed by those given the responsibility for leading people within our community, starting with our schools. If you are immune to the failure of our children, do not teach. If you are leading and do not feel the pain of those you lead, you are not fit to lead. I have no problem with people that wish to be wealthy, but, if wealth is your objective, start a business or invent something… don’t become a teacher, politician or pastor.
David, I now get back.
How many of our political leaders have you heard supporting Redjet?
So If you know that Barbados helping to cut sticks to juck in Redjet’s spokes, what you expect Peter Wickham and Co. to say?
You ain’t realise that the regional political class will always find ways to frustrate the aspirations of the masses.
@Raw Bake
As a declared regionalist Peter et al by they passive position on this matter exposes their hypocrisy.
@David
Fair enough, but who will shine the spotlight on the current administration, given that they can do way more to influence this matter, than those you have flagged ever could?
One might also think that a Redjet hub, based in Barbados can be a good thing and that a visionary administration would do all in its power to facilitate said venture.
The administration’s silence on the issue currently suggest that such thinking is flawed.
It would be interesting to see the results if this happened under the BLP watch.
Would these countries have treated the Arthur Administration like they have treated this present one? One thing for sure MIA would have challenged it vociferously and legally!
What is fact is that REDjet puts the Barbados government in a bad place given our large shareholding in LIAT.
IG246.
Remember the old people used to say duppy know who to frighten, but don’t let CCC hear you.
What ever became of the ferry service that was supposed to be launched last year or the year before?
These low cost regional transport projects looking more and more like pappy shows.
Raw Bake……..LOLL and high wind know old houses really well.
I agree it has become a real pappy show! Lawd how we gine get cheep travel in dis region? We gine gotta get some innertubes eff we really want cheep travel. I wunder how long it gine tek to get to vincy land? Bonny yuh reddy?
So David, dem couldn’t tell the people so from the beginning?
Yuh men dem laff up in de people face, give dem de licence and den tun round and mek a couple of phone calls to sabotage the project covertly?
The Min. Finance was listing the entities that were a burden to taxpayers, I cannot recall him saying anything about LIAT.
Now if he did, what does he plan to do about it and if he did not mention it, why not?
The ferry thing came unstuck because of safety requirements and non compliant equipment issues if BU info is correct.
David it seems every thing is a problem in this region, safety my foot, I remember working at Seawell airport Liat was landing with some bald tyres and there wasn’t any hullabaloo bout dat. Tropic air was flying and de door wasn’t closed properly. I am not saying we should overlook safety but citing that without facts and just for protocol is sabotage as well.
We have to be careful when discussing LIAT. Those old planes haul thousands of of passengers to GAIA.
islandgal246 | May 28, 2011 at 4:23 PM |
I agree it has become a real pappy show! Lawd how we gine get cheep travel in dis region?
Speaking of cheep travel. Perhaps we should take all of those feathers in our caps, that we as a nation had been given over the years, stick them up our arses and glide through the Caribbean.
REDJET wrote to CARICOM Secretariat before the recent mini-summit!
The problem the region is having is that governments are in control of air travel.
They can place high markup prices on their product and call it taxes, and they can also reach into coffers, and be the lifeline of these airlines even if efficiency might be a problem.
@David
We have an expression in Jamaica that says ‘if you throw a stone in a pen whatever cries is the one that got hit, something like, or I threw my corn, I called no fowl. By that I mean you have interpreted the back story of my sarcasm. And you are right, too: The Myrie matter has changed the playing field revealing so much that were buried beneath civil smiles and courteous greetings that, previously we could assume and take for granted.
That said though, David, I respect your honesty and civility in pinpointing the source of the trouble. The Myrie matter has FOREVER changed our once loving relationship. I do not think that most people have grasped the depth of the hurt caused by it.
I would still like to hear from the BU family, as to their ideas about the next move for REDJet.
If and when there is a BLP government I would support RedJet’s coming to Jamaica. For, at least the BLP is not an echo-chamber for narrow nationalism like another party I know, but a party that is relevant to the region and its leadership — be that leader Mia or Owen — behaves in sync with the rest of CARICOM.
When Shanique was raped at GAIA these honored leaders did not demonize the victim as Harry and Maxine did, they were civil and polite in their responses, even while, understandably supporting their country’s views. As such, they have garnered much respect in Jamaica and have supporters here in the plenty. The arrived-at-the party-late response given by the Bajan premier was, respectfully, too late in addressing the issue.
BGI
The owners of REDjet Should sell to the Chinese. Now that is clout. All of these PMs, Golding in particular will not refuse an entity that has the backing of the sovereign representatives of 1.1 billion people …!
Redjet seems to have planned poorly for the introduction of its service, but they have also been undermined by the actions of Trinidad and Jamaica.
Most of the current CARICOM leaders are useless. One would have thought that with all the noise about restructuring economies post the 2008 meltdown that governments and people within CARICOM would embrace an approach to economic restructuring centred around solidifying the ‘E’ in CSME. For example, efficiency savings is the new mantra; yet no one seems to be exploring the idea of saving money through cooperation with other CARICOM members.
‘Redjet Gate’ should not lead to anti-CSME sentiments but reinforce or instill support for such a movement by CARICOM citizens. The failure of Redjet to get landing rights does not only affect Barbadians but also Trinidadians and Jamaicans , both socially and economically, and highlights the danger of myopic and insular thinking.
When Sahnique was raped ???????
Who raped she ?
The woman could be a liar
Haven’t you heard ?
Tina back…. i taught the you went with the rapture.
@Headman John Crow
You might want to keep your tidbit a secret (the one about your support for the BLP), if the news spread in B’dos that the BLP has the Jamaican vote they may remain on the Opposition benches in perpetuity.
So we respect Jamaicans when they choose which political party will run things in Jamaica and we trust that you will leave Bajan politics to Bajans.
Thank you very much
@ Headman John Crow
You speak as if Redjet flying to Jamaica is not also a benefit to Jamaicans. Stupse.
It took something like this for Bajans to realise, they have been and still being taken for a ride. What about the so-called fishing agreement with T&T? What about the C C J that is established in T&T but to which they are NOT a member? T&T is just using their oil money to buy out Barbados, Errol Barrow once said, we would wake up one morning and realise Barbados no longer belong to Bajans. We are too docile a people, Caricom is only benefitting other Caricom countries but not Barbados, look how many Tinis and Jamaicans are living here, check the amount of businesses they own right here, it is a case of big fish eating small fish, within another decade or so it would be The Republic of Trinidad, Tobago and Barbados. This would NEVER have happened under the leadership of Errol Barrow and to a lesser extent Tom Adams or Owen Arthur. WE now have a weak P.M and the big fish is taking advantage of it. Bajans we have to boycott ALL T&T businesses in Barbados, Redjet, change your type of aircraft to Prop-engine planes and fly to St.Lucia, St.Vincent, Grenada. Our government MUST BAN C A L from flying into Barbados even if it means increasing the flights of other airlines coming out of USA and CANADA. Barbados WE MUST TAKE A STAND remember our Motto “Pride and Industry.”
Jamaica seemed to have been in cohoots with Trinidad because as soon as Jack Warner opened his evil mouth, REDjet was in trouble. Barbados has to take some of the blame as they balls up the application even after REDjet wined and dined the Minister.
REDjet can leave Jack Warner to FIFA this week end. I hope he gets his just desserts. Maybe REDjet did not do what Jack wanted and thus he treated them like how he did to Britain’s World Cup bid.
Trinidad is a selfish country. Could you imagine that only one Bajan flies for CAL and this is only because he is married to a Trini. I knew someone who applied for a position as a pilot and the person was told you have the qualifications but CAL only employs Trinis. Selfish bastards.
Since REDjet sent a letter to Caricom at its most recent meeting, do we know if our PM backed the letter or said a word in REDjet’s defence? How long is Freundel Stuart going to continue slumbering as head of this country? I know for sure if Owen was PM, Jack Warner or Jamaica could not hold REDjet to ransom.
But there again, every leader is not a leader!
@Tina
While I believe Shanique’s story, I do not even claim its credibility. On the contrary, for you to summarily dismiss her as lying is a bit much. Are you saying that, based solely on the Customs defendants statement you are branding Shanique a liar? Would you have expected the rapists to admit that they did violate the young woman with their finger? In another case, why were two policemen indicted for raping another Jamaican woman from Spanish Town. The denial is not healing the open festering wound, worse now in that it has been planted in the Jamaican consciousness that in this case, not a woman, but the whole country was disrespected and grossly violated. What you are seeing is the Redjet, the UWI games, etc are only manifestations of pain.
@ Enuff. Perhaps Redjet might be beneficial to Jamaica in some way, however minimal that might be. Do remember that prior to choosing GAIA, they had sought to make NMA, Kingston their hub.
@Sargant>
Thanks for your advice. Much respect to you, Sir. Hereafter, I will keep it secret that most Jamaicans find the BLP more appealing, and more representative of our own values. Other than that, I have no intention of meddling in your country’s politics. We have enough malodorous matters of our own here in JA to clean up; that is why I appointed myself head of the flying scavenger here in Jamaica, the John Crow, hoping to clean up the mess that the politicians are not doing quickly enough or are afraid to state up front.
Remember the dead king said that the fishing dispute with T&T could have been settled over a bowl of soup down Martin’s Bay.
That’s the Dems way of dealing with problems. Maybe Stuart could wine and dine T&T and Jamaica at Illaro Court.
Barbados needs to show some guts and restrict CAL from landing here. If this REDjet thing has to wake up T&T and J’ca that we mean business, so be it. Boycott their products until this matter is sorted out. But who is going to man up to them, Stuart, hell no. The consumers will have to do it.
Someone from the T&T CAA said weeks ago that the permission would have been ready in a matter of days and we have heard nothing so far but on Thursday we read that T&T and J’ca finally signed off their deal. I overheard on the radio transmission a pilot telling the control tower that he did not know whether he was flying for CAL or Air J’ca.
This speaks volumes, doesn’t it?
@Prodigal Son
I know for sure if Owen was PM, Jack Warner or Jamaica could not hold REDjet to ransom.
**********************
Man stop mekkin jokes dis Saturday nite. Was this the same Owen who couldn’t stop Trinidad from arresting Bajan fishermen? Who took Trinidad to court over the fishing dispute and won…. a hollow victory if ever there was one…. And Trinidad thumb their noses at the court and dares Bajan fishermen to enter their territorial waters.
When there was a hint of oil in B’dos waters Trinidad said their maritime boundaries stretch so far that one day I went into the sea at Miami beach and came out with a Trini accent.
Manning was supposed to be friendly with Arthur, heaven help us now that the boss lady close she ATM
@BGI
On REDjet’s plans it is hard to make an informed opinion not being privy to the business plan but one can assume that assumptions made in the BP are far from being met.
The long delays to get permissions would have soaked up alot of the start up money and now the overheads which assumed certain load factor has been badly affected.
All in all except the investors have deep pockets or new routes to compensate for Jamaica/T&T one would have to say they are in deep dodo.
David,
Does Redjet have South America / Caribbean routes, maybe that is something they can look at?
Say Barbados / Curacao / Aruba / Brazil / Argentina?
@BAF ‘BGI ‘The owners of REDjet Should sell to the Chinese.’
————–
Lol. May not be a bad idea, the Chinese already own most of the Governments…oops…did I say that or you?
Crusoe ………..Does Redjet have South America / Caribbean routes, maybe that is something they can look at?
Crusoe I was thinking the same thing. AA does not fly to Puerto Rico from here so why don’t they apply for that route? That would be a great hit with bajans who love PR. I really don’t know who was advising Red Jet but the fact that they didn’t know that they had to apply for permission to fly to these Caricom destinations seems very naive. Apply to fly to the French islands as well. You know if plan A don’t work have a plan B and C. Obviously they were not looking at a worst case scenario.
While not directly related to redjet, government enacting legislation to be more in inline with category 1 faa requirements.
http://barbadosparliament.com/htmlarea/uploaded/File/Act/2011/Civil%20Aviation%20%28Amendment%29%20Act,%202011.pdf
wether one likes the objections of T&T and Jamaica . There are necessary rules and guidelines which must be adhere to in order to get license to fly in any country some of these rules were not met by Redjet by Caricom Act.. One can access them on the Caricom Website.
My thoughts:
At least initially, Ian & Robbie have to keep the MD80′s – there is too much invested in equipment, training, etc to switch equipment now. That said, I still think the MD’s may not have been the best platform, but they were cheap and available, and that was ok for now. On the business front, I understand that it is all speculation right now, but it keeps me from either bursting into tears, or cussin’ at the treatment metted out (say no more). Nevertheless, there have been some very interesting titbits open for discussion:
* Small islands close by – GND, SVD, SLU, DOM = these are very short segments for the MD80 and definitely NOT ideal. In a pinch I would do GND and SLU, but ONLY if I had concrete plans to change to a turboprop aircraft inside of 1 year. Anything longer than that, forget it. Right now I don’t think they should grab at this.
* Other small islands – ANU, SKB, SXM = 100% for all of these, but I would not be surprised to get an even worse fight getting into both ANU (home of LIAT) and SKB. In fact, I see 3 obsticles to getting in there – (1) it is LIAT’s home turf, (2) the ECCAA who regulates air activity in the OECS is based in ANU, and are much more proficient at their jobs than us here in Barbados, so REDjet will not get any smooth ride, and (3) their experience with Stanford taught them to distrust fast talking foreigners. But other than that…
* French islands – FDF, PTP = I can see a benefit there, but can’t decide which one – my money would be on connecting to the French carriers at Guadeloupe.
* Far Northern – SJU, SDQ, HAV, NAS = San Juan is a no-go until B’dos gets the CAT1. Dominican Republic, Cuba and Bahamas – may not be enough traffic between them and the southern Caribbean; the biz plan is point to point services (not a ZR bus schedule)
* US – FLL, MCO, TPA, CHS = see CAT1 comment, but otherwise 100%
* Latin America – SJO, PTY, CUN = interesting, but again, why? And COPA out of Costa Rica is a very strong carrier, and may not react very favorably. Besides, does Barbados have an air agreement with any of these?
* South America – BOG, CCS, PBM, other points in Brazil = BOG and CCS are 50% possibilities, PBM may be weak, and the best spots in Brazil (Rio, Sao Paulo) are rather far away. Maybe a flight to Brasilia or Manaus?
* Southern Dutch islands – AUA, CUR = again, 100% on both of these.
There are possibilities, but without any real idea as to the finances, it is impossible to imagine what is coming down the line.
@islangal
Barbados is not a CAT 1 jurisdiction discussed earlier which means using Barbados as its base it can’t fly to PR. It is why it wanted to first hub out of Jamaica. Anthony’s last post is instructive in this regard.
@anthony – thanks for this, it is very good. Now all that is left is to get rid of the dead wood and establish a functional regulatory body with actual people.
@BGI
Don’t know if they lack any other legislation but it is a step to getting to category 1 status. Think rest of the problem is getting more qualified staff now.
http://www.caricom.gov/multilateralagreement
@anthony
It is about spending a little money and showing some backbone.
Best practice is already there to be accessed from other jurisdictions if we are serious.
These are the things we needed to have done as a country which adds value to our productive sectors.
@david
Have we ever proven to be serious about anything
. It will take a year and a day as everything else 
. Wish is wasn’t so but that how it is. maybe they should move kellman to aviation/internation transport at least then maybe some action or least lout talk would take place.
@anthony
What we have at play here is an open embarrassment of the Barbados government.
It has put us in a bad place as far as how people outside perceive us as one of the more developing countries in the world.
Pride if no other reason should spur us to get this done as quickly as is practical.
However you are correct that it is endemic to what ails the public service and dare we say it, the private sector as well.
I am inquisitive as to why Barbados would give permission to an airline with a management team who has no History or proven record of aviation to fly the friendly skies.
Is Trinidad and Jamaica saying to Barbadians if you all or any investor setup business in your territory and is able to produce that product or service much cheaper than we could, we will sabotage it and prevent it from entering our markets?
This is what is coming over to me.
when boac(ba)/aa/virgin/caribbean airways/bwia(cairbbean airline) started did anyone have history or proven record in aviation. Can they do it without history. Yes. will it be harder than if they did. yes. Your point is moot ac.
Here is the bio of management:
http://www.flyredjet.com/en/under/about-us/management-biographies
Is Trinidad and Jamaica saying to Barbadians if you all or any investor setup business in your territory and is able to produce that product or service much cheaper than we could, we will sabotage it and prevent it from entering our markets?
This is what is coming over to me.
Should Barbados go outside the region for cheaper products and services and forget about the agreements we have signed as others certainly have?
BNB is not paying an interim dividend this year. Presumably this makes the investment less attractive for the Barbados Government. Will there now be some motivation to sell the remaining BNB shares to RBTT…
CLICK HERE! To: Governments of Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago
Its amazing how everything becomes a party political issue on this blog. No wonder we are so stuck when it comes to dealing with any problems or issues.
@OLD SCHOOL
Which comment is political?
Do you mean Alien’s comment? One out of 100?
You are right however, Bajans look to politicians to solve the world’s problems.
Over the past few months there has been much discussion and media coverage of issues related to health care policy in Barbados. Despite the volume of media coverage I remain unclear as to a number of issues, which restricts my ability to adequate assess the health care policy issues being raised.
Form what I have been able to glean there are three issues out there:
1. Only nationals and permanent residents are now entitled to free health care in Barbados.
http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/2011/05/29/1598007/fifa-suspends-executives-bin-hammam.html
Mohamed bin Hammam, a Qatari who leads Asia’s soccer confederation, and Jack Warner, a FIFA vice president from Trinidad, will now face a full FIFA inquiry, the soccer body said.
The best way to wake up these people in Trinidad and Jamaica is for Bajans to boycott products from those two countries. Most people don’t know that the Redjet issue is only the tip of the iceberg. The Trinis are putting-up non-tariff barriers against Pine Hill Dairy products and the Jamaicans are blocking Hipac pork products. The St Lucians are blocking Bajan-made furniture – it goes on and on. Will Bajans ever have the willingness to retaliate? I sinecerely doubt it, because we like to complain, but carry on in the same old way.
By the way, has Warner spelled-out exactly how much he needs from Redjet yet?
I see the DLP has been successful in diverting the bloggers away from the REDjet issue. However you look at it,this matter will not go away, in fact it will get worse so unless or until MY P.M comes out of his hole and make a definitive statement on the matter, the regional governments will cease the opportunity to turn the screws tighter on Barbados. Failing the P.M’s intervention, bajans will have to picket T&T businesses in Barbados, we can picket on business per day until they get the message.
leave mr stuart alone. he is being blamed for problems not of his own making because he is not charismatic.the hypocritical barbadian public continues to lash stuart for indiscretions committed by mr thompson for which they dare not criticise mr thompson, but truth will win out; is that class element which fuelled the thompson /mascoll fiasco rearing its ugly head again surreptiously in the ranks of the dlp? just food for thought.
the blp was lambasted for allowing the trinis to buy into barbadian business activity. matter of fact, it as an election issue elicting that famous statement from mr thompson that ” if he won the elections before the ink dries on the agreement for the takeover of barbados shipping and trading by the trinis, then the agreement would not take place” we all know that this was only an election gimmick because the election was won and the ink was not dried and the take over still took place. so much for mamaguying as the trinis say. since then, there has been a take over of other enterprises by the trinis but not a song and dance from the biased electorate.
With poor REDjet not getting any help it better they close down.They have spent over 20 million already.There is no way they can last long as Barbados only has CAT 2 status and cannot fly into the US.
@Retaliate
I refer you to my posting a day or so ago in which I noted that, as the perfect place, this great island, Barbados, which has the capacity to stand alone, and certainly does not need to be contaminated by Jamaicans, does not need any air connection with us, as REDjet is try to establish. Plus, Bajans are super educated, more so than anyone else in the region – if not on earth also; they are not Negroes either, or, if marginally so, they are super-Negroes. They are first world; Jamaica is a developing country with all the a problems associated with that. Why then, would wonderful Barbados need to have any contact with Jamaica?
Yes, virgin Barbados should avoid violated Jamaicans like the plague. Inferior as they are, Jamaicans will only come to your Eden-like paradise to ruin it: keep the rascals out, I beg of you. A low fare Airline will only bring in Jamaicans in droves, forcing for you, more cavity searches, not to mention police officers becoming naughty as well!
As for boycotts, Jamaica does not deserve your superior products either and certainly should stay away from buying them: inferior people we are, we do not deserve such high quality things that your superior culture produces.
Again, Barbados can stand alone. It has the capacity and wherewithal to do it. It does not need Jamaica. As for the other CARICOM states, they can speak for themselves. Thanks for alerting us to what needs to be done, Retaliate!
Scout,
Dont worry our PM must be awaiting detailed reports from all concerned and that the matter is receiving his full attention. (like he said of the Myrie case). Oh how I wish he was, but wait is this the way he intends to govern???
I see someone was questioning the wisdom of REDjet in not securing licences from Trinidad and Jamaica earlier. REDjet was led to believe that once they got the Barbados licence, they did not need one because of an existing MO between Caricom countries.
Maybe now that Jack Warner has been put in his place and has to climb back down to earth, he will grant the licence. He is now not so powerful and mighty!
@Tony
Unfortunately it looks like you maybe correct. REDjet appears to be still born. What a shame.
This inept Barbados government did not help REDjet’s situation when they kept them waiting for over 10 months to get the necessary licence.
Jack Warner has been brought down to earth, with the recent ruling
This REDjet matter with T&T and Jamaica siding with each other against Barbados is laughable, or maybe it is not. It might be because of what was said by Lord Palmerston, that countries do not have permanent friends, only permanent interests.
Once it was Jamaica and Barbados who were in cahoots, lambasting the rest of Islands. Bajans in Jamaica were loved to death, marrying each other, lovey dovey and kissing up to each other, wining and dining regularly at UWI and other places.
Jamaicans and Guyanese and perhaps people from Antigua also got on well. Now, it is the Bajans and the Guyanese who are quickly befriending each other, forget the bench at Grantley Adams Airport that the Bajans keep for Guyanese visitors, after poking their fingers in royal places too lewd to mention here. The Jamaicans should know that it was not Shanique Myrie alone or the the first to be raped (they are acting like they alone have suffered at the hands of the Bajans).
But, now Kamla after being challenged by the Jamaicans for her comments extolling T&T generosity to the region, she dropped her arrogance and Bruce and she have become best friends and their people now teaming up against Bajan’s interests in this REDjet and pork rind market.
llashback: Once Argentinians used to think of themselves as superior to their South American neighbors, seeing themselves as Europeans. Then the 1982 war with Britain came and Europe sided with Britain against Argentina. It was the first time that the Argis realized that they needed friendly neighbors and should not set themselves apart as being better than others.
Politics do have some strange bed-fellows indeed — Barbados+Guyana= Jamaica+Trinidad. What a world! It would laughable were it not a matter to weep over!
I hate that they did not welcome RedJet but they will feel the effects some way or the other.
@Prodigal Son
It took 10 months to get approval because the Civil Aviation Department is under resourced. Back in times of plenty we should have better positioned that unit and acquire CAT 1 designation.
When Trinidad gives approval, Jamaica’s approval will follow – Trinidad is the senior partner in that alliance and has taken the lead – much like the USA sets the tone for its allies.
@Headman John Crow | May 29, 2011 at 10:11 PM |
You are only here to stir up trouble, why don’t you use that stuff between your ears constructively? If the world was to concentrate on the atrocities that Jamaicans have done to each other in Jamaica and elsewhere we would run out of space. Time is the only healer so either give constructive thought to this forum or take some time off until you heal. You sound very bitter and hurt.
Minister Jones, is it now prudent to suspend JW, as head of the regional football association, pending the outcome of the FIFA investigation?
@Alien even when and if permission is granted to fly to Trinidad and Jamaica, Red jet will be under scrutiny and will be targeted for any minor infractions in an attempt to further sabotage them.
We are now seeing the true colours of the Caribbean…..I wonder how long will Jack the briber will remain in the present government after all these accusations. At this moment internationally he has become the face of Trinidad and Tobago and it is not a good looking one to boot.
@islandgal246
Warner leave the T&T government? What?! Corruption is so endemic they are still wondering what the fuss is about.
@Headman John Crow
How succinctly and accurately you have summarised the situation!
Steupse!
@ Islandgal
As I plan to not discuss this matter any further and, frankly, because I respect Islandgal — she has always been funny, thoughtful and somewhat reasonable — I must say that, yes, Jamaicans have their problem; but they are ours, Bajans’ . Your people cannot have it both ways: Since they are better than others — a distinction that I am ready to accord them –and Yardies are inferior, why do they want to contaminate themselves with us!
In regional affairs, and I am not trying to start up things, IG, it is your folks who are the bullies. Consider it is our girls who are being raped in your country, by your government officials; It is Sir Hilary who compared Chris Gayle to Dudus; it is our people who are having fingers and other object gleefully invading body cavities; among a host of other atrocities. On the contrary, in Jamaica Bajans freely mix in with Yardies, no one even think of where they came from. Ask your former PM Owen Arthur who used to live here and is still greatly respected here; ask the tons of others who work here, in nursing, mining, education, students etc; or those who are married to J’cans and live as Commonwealth citizens here, voting and the like. No one bothers them, non think that they are different from us.
We have other more important things to do than to act un-neighborly toward a fellow Caribbean citizen, or,as the we here, the “cousins”. Frankly, we even liked Bajans, poking fun at their accents occasionally as they do at our patios for fun. Ask one Bajan if a Jamaican had ever treated her unfairly here! That is more than Shanique Myrie and hundreds more of my people can say about your people.
So I am angry; Jamaicans are now angry too; and most of us do not want to have anything to do with Bajans. At the same time, we’d never mistreat any of them, not even Maxine McClean or Harry Husbands, who, I acted to inhumanely after the rape of Myrie, dismissing her claim as a lie. Jamaicans will ever remain respectful of Mia and Owen who, without saying the matter occurred as stated, at least made sensible remarks thagt cooled the tension.
So, yes, I am bitter, IG, very bitter. And that is why I will take up your offer and stay off writing in this medium — at least for a while. Walk good!
David,
“It took 10 months to get approval because the Civil Aviation Department is under resourced. Back in times of plenty we should have better positioned that unit and acquire CAT 1 designation.”
I could tell you why it took so long but you said I always have stories. It is not only that the CAD is under resourced.
@Prodigal Son
Now don’t get all thin-skinned.
Is it true or not the government had to wait on resources to perform the REDjet due diligence which was not available in the Civil and Aviation Department locally?
As pompous as Jack Warner is and the obnoxious way he has handled REDjet, I actually felt sorry to see a Caribbean man reduced to ground level and made to look like a real crook today on the BBC.
To top it all off, it seems as though he is not going to go down by himself, he has leaked an email about how Quatar was awarded the bid, thus implicating Hammam and he seems to want to take down Blatter.
Anyone who follows football would know that under ordinary circumstances, Quatar would never be awarded the World Cup and to the naked eye, one can only come to the conclusion that money had to pass hands. A country that has no football history, a strict muslim country and the time of the year the tournament would take place, temperatures would be over 100 degrees, it just did not make sense.
Enuff, I too would like to know who of the BFA attended the May 10-11. Did they receive one of the envelopes?
There is something about this Redjet process that bothers me and i am not quite ready yet to point the finger at T@T and Jamaica.
There is something about this Redjet process that bothers me and i am not quite ready yet to point the finger at T@T and Jamaica.
@ac . And be careful how you point a finger in Caricom Land.
Head Man John Crow shares something in common with HRH Prince Philip ,the Queen’s husband. Prince Philip was a Stoker on a naval vessel during WW2.
@Colonel Buggy
I am no a stoker. I set no fire nor unhinged any Pandora Box. I am hurting though. My people are hurting too. Jamaicans are devastated and feel betrayed and scandalized. The Shanique Myrie case is too recent. And, if there is silence about it in Barbados, the noise has not settled about it here at all. Everything has now changed between us. The UWI games, the REDjet affair, and the cold distancing between our people are only few of the results. So, I am a realist, not a stoker. Nice try nonetheless. Walk good!
@ Headman John Crow
You got to be kidding, I have heard of instances where Barbadians have been disrepected in your country. You are paintng a utopia of Jamaaica.
Until the kady can come to barbados and it can be established that the incident has occureed, then you and others should stop using the incidence to stoke fire. IT HAS ONLY BE PROVEN that there was only one incidence where mistreatmen had occured. You are giving the impression that we are so insular. WE must be nationalistic, that is what make people proud of their culture.
There are a number of jamiacans living here and are happy to be here and are welcomed, There are a number involved in unsavoury behaviuour, further corrupting our society. Every coutryman should be pround of his country, but i wont sit here ande allow to pull town our institutions which we have built up and which are well respected, unlike in your coutry where life is meaningless and there are only the very rich and the very poor,, oh what an unjust society. Senseless murders are commiitted including innocent children. with reckless abandon.
You are givinng the imprssiosn that your country men are so pure, yet there are senseless killings stoke by politcal stupidity and the drug culure. Based on population size, your county has one of the highest muder rate in the world. Why are most countries requesting that your countymen have visas before entering their country, including Commonwealt countries? Because your countrymen breach their laws with impunity, including drug peddling.
Hilary analogy comparing Gayle’s attitude to a don was correct and he should not have apologized. I dont suscribe to disrepecting anybody, but the immigration officers have our lqws to uphold. We have to ensure that visitors do not abuse of immigration laws and that apply to all.
Jamaica is so insular that it does not subscibe to the CCJ and hardly cares about CARICOM. A lot of you are envious of us because our instittuions function and are not as corrupt as yours. Dont you come preaching to us, any violation of a preson’s right will be investigation, that for the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of both countries.
So go wiled and deal and come again.
@Headman John Crow
I thought you promised me that you would take a break from here or the subject you keep pounding on. You have to realize that the world is not a perfect place and we all are not perfect people including us Bajans. Yes some of us can be accused of being arrogant and self centered and come over as know it all. But that is not all of us, please take a break and look at the bigger picture for the Caribbean. We are slowly disintegrating and soon we would be total strangers. The Red jet drama is just another nail to the disintegration process. At the moment all of us in the Caribbean are held ransomed to CAL and Liat and we want a solution. Red jet may have been that solution.
http://rjrnewsonline.com/business/redje … val-fly-ja
REDjet not suing over delay in getting approval to fly to JA
Mon. May 30, 2011
So now we see the story behind the story:
REDjet was blocked from setting up operations in Jamaica, because of the sale of the state-carrier Air Jamaica to Caribbean Airlines – the Jamaican Government didn’t want to jeopardize the sale by allowing a competing carrier to challenge or weaken the deal.
Then REDjet was blocked from starting services to Jamaica, because of the agreement to sign completing the sale of Air Jamaica to Caribbean Airlines – the Jamaican Government wanted to ensure that Caribbean Airlines went through with the signing and didn’t jeopardize the sale by allowing a competing carrier to challenge by flying the exact routes (POS-KIN and BGI-KIN) that Caribbean Airlines wanted to fly.
This begs the question:
- What do we all expect to happen when REDjet applies for permission to base a few aircraft in Jamaica?
- Who is pulling the strings within the Jamaican Government, as far as this “deal” is concerned?
@Islandgal
Because of my respect for you, Islandgal, I will keep silent this time.I apologize, for going back on my word. This is is so unlike me: I’ve always been a man of my word. Please forgive me, IG. Walk good.
Strange what a difference a month makes only two months ago Barbadians were beating a nationalist drum about the need to protect their shores from hordes of Jamaican drug dealers/Drug mules/prostitutes /murderers bent on undermining Barbadian values. Sorry you cant have it both ways you cant want to ignore CARICOM on the Grounds of “security” then want to use it to force entry into our market.
Jamaicans are also trying to figure out just what the implications of the merger are for the country and Jamaican travelers. The operations of Air Jamaica have never been transparent and what we do know is that billions of dollars of taxpayers money has been used to prop up the airline based on the argument that it is a vital support to the tourist industry. There is evidence that even after being privatized the GOJ was still subsidizing the operations of the airline. Our worry is that after being prostituted to the private sector , we are now being prostituted to the Trinidadians and I guess the Barbadians are waiting for their turn.
But for what its worth if there is a need to protect a ”Jamaican” airline the focus would be on the most profitable routes. Which are the routes to North America ( Miami, New York) and Europe. Jamaica has at least two American Budget airlines operating on these routes. I doubt that Red Jet would be a serious concern.
As to Barbadian politics we don’t know and we don’t care we have enough on our plates with the current group of jack asses who have conspired to make our country a laughing stock. I would strongly advise that you keep out of our politics. Most Jamaicans are of the opinion that our politicians are a slimy bunch and that tends to color our views of their regional colleagues, So when a Barbadian politician or official denies an incident the natural reaction is this Guy/Girl is a lying sack of crap.
I will shed no tears for Red Jet or Bizzy or Buzzy or whatever his name is.
@Anonymouse
Read this link and pick up the pieces of glass and go away:
http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/02/19/2076053_haitians-decry-mistreatment-of.html#storylink=addthis
@ David
The Jamaican Authorites investigated and engaged their Haitain counterparts. There was not an instant denial.
As to picking up the broken glass going away thats exactly what I am saying to you and Red Jet.
@Anonymouse
You obviously did not read the article but that is to be expected.
You can have the last word.
Is it not logical to talk about the movement of people in the region and a common air space in the same breath?
@David: “Is it not logical to talk about the movement of people in the region and a common air space in the same breath?
Sure it is.
But… Are we?
Hmmmm….
SHAMEFUL!
Did Barbados receive a $40,000 handout from Jack Warner? Suriname admitted it did.
Perhaps the Hon. Ronald Jones could shed some light on this .
And I’ll bet that this airline will have no problems when it is ready to fly into Barbados.
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/latestnews/Caribbean-cargo-airline-to-begin-Jamaica-flights
An inquiry from Headman John Crow:
Who is the official Leader of the Opposition in the Barbados Parliament: Is it Mia Mottley or Owen Arthur? This is a simple inquiry there is no hidden agenda!
@ Colonel Buggy:
U know it!
Headman John Crow | June 2, 2011 at 11:04 PM |
An inquiry from Headman John Crow:
Who is the official Leader of the Opposition in the Barbados Parliament: Is it Mia Mottley or Owen Arthur? This is a simple inquiry there is no hidden agenda!
No hidden agenda, but it is dressed in Disruptive Pattern Material.
Islandgal or Chris Halsall:
‘
RE: inquiry, Can you please tell me. I have no idea what on earth is meant by Colonel Buggy’s answer.
@Headman John Crow
Disruptive Pattern Material (DPM) ,aka Camouflage clothing.
@C/Buggy
Maybe there is something I am not getting. I do not know much, in fact very little about your country, having lived in the US for over forty years. What is this DPM stuff and the other mystical statements you’ve made? Let’s forget about it.
@HJC , its just a play on the words “Hidden” and “Camouflage.” Walk Good.
@Colonel Buggy
Reading a negative into my innocent question is the same as my saying that buggy is a derivative of bugger and that you are sending a message. Based on your logic, one might even think that you are using code words to disclose the buggery occupation itself. — a disclosure in which I have no interest.
It might be wise, not to prejudge the motives of others since, as in this case, you are making a false interpretation which cannot be deciphered from anything I had posed in my question.
For your information, I am engaged in comparative politics and simply wanted to know the correct answer requested for that purpose. You sound like a conspiracy theorist, a rebel without a cause. Learn to pick yours fights with more caution! Walk good.
Sounds like you knew the answer all along
Headman John Crow | May 28, 2011 at 8:54 PM |
If and when there is a BLP government I would support RedJet’s coming to Jamaica. For, at least the BLP is not an echo-chamber for narrow nationalism like another party I know, but a party that is relevant to the region and its leadership — be that leader Mia or Owen — behaves in sync with the rest of CARICOM.
In seems there is a price war being played out in the media.
Redjet claims to have 35% of the Barbados/Guyana traffic and is advertising in today’s press $290.96 return incl taxes/ LIAT roundtrip $523.60
LIAT in the same paper, USD93.00 one way excl tax!
yes it has david. hopeful they get permission so consumer have choice to trinidad and jamaica. liat lower fares with taxes and are about 440-490 Bds depending on the day travelling.
@anthony
The strategy by REDjet seems to be to run LIAT off the Guyana route to make a point.
Well that is the lowest fare david they do have fares higher and even surpassing liat prices. They stated that have around 60-80% occupancy. So given the block hour rate of about 4-5K us per hour they should be making some profit given the lowest fare + baggage cost. With incremental increase in ticket prices they should definitely
making a profit. though the planes just sitting around most of the time will of course be negative overhead even with the profit from the flights.
@David
Didnt you expect a price war?
LIAT will hope to drive Redjet out of the market before it grows root, that what all establishe players in the market do, and dont you think that cal is hoping that liat’s strategy succeeds?
Read all about it.
People in Barbados layed off from Redjet because TT and Jamaica wouldn’t let it fly. Now tell me how much unity we are really building? Can’t fool me…
You think it would be a light matter in Trinidad or Jamaica if we Bajans were to do the same to them. I know there would be backlash.
This isn’t right!
How come the Barbados government not saying anything about this. That too isn’t right.
Read all about it.
“The Trinidadians (and Jamaicans) ought to be ashamed of themselves”
I say we Bajans are the ones to be ashamed if we take this lying down.. or bending over.
http://www.nationnews.com/index.php/articles/view/red-hot/
Pingback: REDjet Seeing RED! |
my fellow CARICOM citizens especially Bajans,you all fail to realise that T&T has adopted the mentality of the USA.Not too much a fan of T&T but i do admire their way of thinking and buisness stratergies which you guys should learn from.Some might say that the trinis have an advantage because of their oil money but that is not quite true because you may have natural resourses but dont know how to manage it for example Guyana,so Bajans you are not the only one’s with well educated people.My message to you is that have no doubt T&T leaders will always put T&T and its citizens first no matter what.I would not be so eager to jump at the throats of the T&T and JA Governments concerning this Red Jet issue because their is that saying (its just too good to be true) we as Caribbean people must not be blinded by cheap air fares neither should we let it trump safety.The Red Jet issue has been resolved but remember CAL is owned by the Government of T&T which is the most powerful Government and country in CARICOM weather we like it or not,so the question is not if CAL can compete with Red Jet’s low airfare the question is can Red Jet compete with CAL’s subsidised fuel.If we all know T&T as well as we think,they will not just sweep this under the rug,they rather lower their prices and take a loss for years to put Red Jet out of buisness just to show their superiority…wicked country!!!!!
yankee trini where you gone the news is Caribbean Airlines crash
Yankee trini
It is ironic that T&T were complaining about the safety of Redjet but look what has happened, a CAL plane has crashed. I’m in no way happy about this but accidents can gappen anytime, so PLEASE don’t try to scare travellers from using REDjet when what can happen to them can still happen to you. Come out and tell the region, like you did with the Federation, that you are not interested any longer and would go it alone rather than trying to play big bully to the rest of the region.