by Marlon Madden (Barbados Today)
President of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) Dr Hyginus Gene Leon has put forward a “two-stage process” for building out an effective air and sea transportation system in the region.
He proposes that “as an immediate solution” to the region’s transportation woes, Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders should come together to create an air transportation system that allows all member states to have access to frequent airlift similar to what existed prior to the demise of regional carrier LIAT.
Explaining that governments would provide temporary support, Leon said the plan would be to put together a system that is going to be “viable and sustainable over the long-haul”.
“We need as a first stage, to have a coordinating mechanism that would take all of the assets that exist in the region and create a connectivity system that would allow for all routes, economically viable, under-served – to be able to travel and meet the needs at least going back to what was there before COVID. We all know what happened during COVID.
