Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr Ralph Gonsalves (left), chatting with Haiti's Prime Minister René Preval at the 28th Caricom Heads of Government Summit.

PRIME MINISTER OF St Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr Ralph Gonsalves, is insisting that governments apart from the present shareholders contribute to regional airline LIAT.

"Other countries are now complaining because the price for the air tickets has gone up moderately, US$20 on an average. Of course, as I indicated there are other costs of air travel which have gone up and before you never heard any complaints by anybody because the other countries which were not putting any money in it, they were enjoying the results of cut-throat competition but that is not sustainable.

"All I'm asking for is an engagement with everybody and let us have something which is sustainable. Now if anybody can prove to me that that approach is wrong well then I'm open to be convinced," Gonsalves told regional journalists after the first business session of the 28th CARICOM Heads of Government Summit at Hilton Barbados.

He said that he had spoken to St Lucia's Minister of Tourism Allen Chastanet on the matter of his country using American Eagle but it was "clear that at the moment" Chastanet had a different view.

"The Government of St Lucia, I would imagine, would be interested in finding a regional solution. You can have American Eagle between Barbados and St Lucia (but is) American Eagle going to fly the other routes which are not as lucrative?

"Are you going to allow a particular airline from outside to cherry pick the lucrative routes and who are going to pay for the others? These are fundamental questions. This is not a time for any demagoguery this is a time for serious people to discuss serious business," he said before heading off to lunch. (DS)