by JULIE WILSON

CHAIRMAN OF LIAT Jean Holder has blasted some regional countries that refuse to pump money into the regional carrier but support other carriers instead.

Speaking during the International Air Transport Association Caribbean Aviation Day at Hilton Barbados yesterday, he said in recent times, most of the Caribbean countries that LIAT serviced were unwilling to take risks in investing in its operations.

He said many of the countries used the excuse of poor service as the reason for not investing in the airline, "without acknowledging that this has often been the result of inadequate capitalisation in the first place".

He added: "They are exercising their right to identify, and sometimes even support financially, other services which are then asked to undertake lesser burdens than the regional carrier.

"If much of the support provided for foreign carriers had been provided for regional carriers on an organised and sustained basis, it might have obviated the need for those infusions of crisis cash which shareholder governments have had to provide from time to time."

Holder stressed the future of regional carriers hinged on their ability to reduce their debt.

He said Caribbean Airlines had already reduced its debt burden and LIAT was well on the way to getting rid of its debt.

Please see also Pages 28A and 29A.