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A debacle of no mean proportions

Aug 13, 2013 Editorial

 

 

The Diaspora is still Guyana’s most interesting location. These are the people who seem to be paying more interest in the country than even many of the people who reside within its borders. No longer must they rely on the letters and telephone conversations from their relatives and friends back home, they have access to information from numerous quarters.
These are the people who read the newspapers online, follow the various online news links and even listen to the internet radio out of the country. To hear some of them talk about issues, you believe that they actually live in Guyana and have access to the various sources of information.
That is why they are so upset with the air travel situation. Many of them had not seen their homeland for years for a variety of reasons. Some had overstayed their welcome, but had no choice but to scrounge and live quieter than a mouse for fear of being picked up and deported.
They all worked hard with a determination to help their relatives back home and to ensure that their children get the best that life has to offer. Eventually, for many, their situation improved and they could afford to visit their homeland, if only to show off to those they left behind that there is a better life outside Guyana. And when they opted to come they did not want to come alone, because there were others who also wanted to come. The need for companionship was great.
There were Guyana-based airlines that offered cheap fares, but these all failed for one reason or the other. Caribbean Airlines, the region’s oldest airline, continued. And being a monopoly, its fares suddenly climbed way above the average. Of course, this has not passed unnoticed, and the government has raised its voice in protest.
Caribbean Airlines has not been the most financially viable airline. Just recently it sacked its entire management team and replaced that team with fresh individuals. Before that, the Trinidad Government had to provide a bailout package. That government is already subsidising the fuel provided to the airline, to the extent that other airlines operating in the region are protesting what they say is unfair competition.
But the Guyanese have another problem. They complain that the Trinidadians treat them badly at their immigration checkpoints. And indeed there have been instances where the Guyanese have been singled out for harsh treatment. This may be explained by the perception of the Trinidadians that Guyanese are all bent on settling in Trinidad.
The Trinidadians also believe that Guyanese are professional smugglers who seek to move any and everything past the immigration officers. Of course, they would have been familiar with the Guyanese who had been taking various consumer articles that were in demand in Trinidad and available in Guyana.
Times have changed, although the perception of Guyanese as poverty-stricken people still remains, but the truth is that Guyanese are better off these days.
To change the complaints, Guyana either needs to attract other airlines or initiate its own airline. Indeed it had one, but that collapsed for a variety of reasons, one being the government’s perception of the management.
This year, after the collapse of EZjet, the carrier started by a Guyanese who now finds himself in the arms of the United States law enforcement officers, prices went through the roof and the government took notice.
The Tourism Minister spoke about the various airlines that the government had approached. He even said that they demonstrated an interest. Today, they are saying that they will not come unless Caribbean Airlines stops enjoying the subsidy it enjoys.
This is not likely to happen and Guyana will be pennywise and pound foolish to withdraw the flag carrier status that it has granted the airline. There is talk in the international community that this flag carrier status has set back the drive to attract Fly Jamaica, a new carrier. If this is true, Guyana would have to find another way around this problem.

 

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