via Barbados Today. Businessman Robert Pitcher is calling for radical changes
to the management structure of regional air carrier, LIAT, recommending
former Minister of Tourism (Barbados) Noel Lynch as one of the people to lead this
change.
 |
| photo via StLuciaNewsOnline.com |
With the sudden resignation of Chief Executive
Officer David Evans, Pitcher suggested that Lynch should be
approached to take over the leadership.
Describing the former Member of Parliament for St. Michael South as
“a good tourism person” who had a good grasp of the aviation sector,
the Marketing Consultant of Fun ‘N’ Sun Publishing Inc. hinted that Lynch
would be an effective CEO.
 |
Noel Lynch, suggested candidate to replace outgoing LIAT CEO
photo via caribbeanelections.com |
“It would be a great move
by Prime Minister Freundel Stuart to reach across the political divide
and recommend his former political opponent Lynch for the position of
CEO. Lynch was a good tourism person and he understands aviation.”
 |
Robert Pitcher outlining his advice to fix some of the problems plaguing regional air carrier LIAT
photo via BarbadosToday.bb |
However, Lynch,
who served as Minister of Tourism and International Transport [in Barbados] from
April 2000 to January 2008, was not Pitcher’s first choice to replace
Evans.
That honour went to Captain Nigel Harris, the founder and
Managing Director of Montserrat Airways, which trades as Fly Montserrat.
“We
have a private airline which is owned by a European called Fly
Montserrat. He is Captain Nigel Harris and he should be asked to assume
the office of CEO with the absorption of Fly Montserrat into LIAT. The
same way that he is making a small profit for Fly Montserrat he may be
able to do the same for LIAT,” Pitcher told reporters at the offices of
Fun ‘N’ Sun Publishing Inc. at Rendezvous, Christ Church.
Pitcher also
called for the dismissal of the entire board of directors of LIAT,
insisting they should be replaced with regional business leaders with
good track records.
He identified Barbadian businessman Ralph "Bizzy" Williams,
who was involved with the doomed low-cost carrier, RedJet, but
otherwise remains a successful entrepreneur, as a possible chairman.
He
also proposed the recruitment of prominent local businessman Mark
Maloney and counterparts from Antigua & Barbuda, Dominica and St
Vincent and the Grenadines to make inputs into the running of the
regional airline.
Evans resigned after less than two
years on the job after what was reported to be a heated meeting of the
board of directors last week.The airline issued a
terse statement confirming his resignation and thanking Evans,
but giving no reasons for his departure.
 |
David Evans
photo via liat.com |
Evans had replaced Ian Brunton who had an even shorter stint as head of the embattled airline.
Brunton resigned in September 2013 after one year in charge.
At his news conference today, Pitcher suggested that LIAT had moved away from its initial function as an island-hopping airline.
He said the current route structure, which includes direct flights from Barbados to some destinations, was unsustainable.
“I
recently returned to Barbados on a direct flight from Trinidad and
Tobago with only twelve passengers on board. This flight is only fully
used at carnival time in Trinidad and Tobago."
“Similarly,
it does not make sense to have a direct flight to St Kitts or Tortola.
Flights going north or south along the chain of islands should be
picking up and setting passengers as it serves the chain of islands,”
the tourism marketing consultant and frequent flyer argued.
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