In a meeting last week Tuesday with Dr The Hon. Keith Rowley, Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada’s Prime Minister, Dr the Rt Hon. Keith Mitchell made an impassioned plea for renewed negotiations with Caribbean Airlines, especially as it relates to the cargo flights out of Grenada.
Prime Minister Mitchell explained the negative impact which the reduction in Caribbean Airlines (CAL) flights was having on economic development in Grenada, not only in relation to difficulties being encountered by visitors travelling to Grenada (which impacted the tourism sector), but also by the agriculture and fisheries sectors which were being negatively impacted through the inability to access export markets.
According to the Grenadian leader, the productive sectors had already experienced sharp declines in prices and there were huge build-ups in domestic stocks of both fish and agricultural products.
Prime Minister Rowley was extremely enthusiastic in his support for an urgent meeting among the Caribbean Airlines (CAL) representatives and representatives from the Grenada Government and Airports Authority, in order to immediately identify the options for expanded CAL services to Grenada.
Prime Minister Mitchell impressed upon his counterpart the urgency of expanding the CAL flights, even if Grenada would be required to provide a small subsidy.
The General Manager of the Grenada Airports Authority is scheduled to begin meetings regarding same with representatives from CAL this week.
The meeting in Port of Spain between the two heads was the first of its kind since Dr Rowley assumed office after the general elections in Trinidad and Tobago in early September.
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