(Trinidad Express) Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar says she believes the board of Caribbean Airlines Ltd should continue to work together.
She says if, in the end, it is realised that they cannot do so, then they should move on.
Persad-Bissessar was speaking with reporters on Sunday after visiting a church, two children’s homes and a home for the aged in San Fernando.
She said the issue of the continued friction among members of the board, led by George Nicholas, was not discussed at last Thursday’s Cabinet meeting but she is awaiting a report from the Finance and General Purposes Committee which was asked to make recommendations on how the matter should be resolved.
Persad-Bissessar said a decision would be made once she receives the report.
The board has been embroiled in controversy for several months beginning with its decision, within weeks of being appointed, to fire former chief executive officer, Captain Ian Brunton. This decision did not find favour with Works and Transport Minister Jack Warner — under whose portfolio the airline falls.
Warner’s call for the chairman of the board to resign was disregarded but its members subsequently complained about Nicholas making unilateral decisions on behalf of its members.
Meanwhile, Persad-Bissessar left for Brazil yesterday to attend the World Economic Forum. She will be accompanied by a delegation which includes Energy Minister Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan, Foreign Affairs Minister Surujrattan Rambachan, Trade and Industry Minister Stephen Cadiz and several business representatives.
Persad-Bissessar said on Sunday the trip is expected to create exciting opportunities for Trinidad and Tobago.
“Brazil is one of the fastest developing nations in the world right now and therefore the potential for investment for our people there is tremendous as well as for people out of Brazil to invest in Trinidad and Tobago.
“There has been some interaction between Trinidad and Tobago and Brazil before. It’s not like this is totally new. But given the development of Brazil now as versus before, the opportunity is ripe now for our mission to be there and for our business partners to be there.”
“They are going into oil and gas and that is an area that Trinidad and Tobago has 100 years of experience in. We hope to partner with them in the services sector. Whereas before we exported our oil and gas as raw materials, Trinidad and Tobago is now in the fourth age of mankind and therefore expertise and knowledge is what will make the world’s countries richer. We do have a lot of that talent and knowledge and energy. I think we stand well to benefit from it.”
