‘It must be the money’ - Hon Fahie on BVI Airways flight hiccups
Appearing on the Speak Out BVI talk show on ZBVI 780 AM radio last night July 11, 2017 Hon Fahie, while addressing concerns about the tourism industry and some of the key needed components to keep the wheels of the territory turning, made an emphatic statement.
"I have no doubt in my mind that one of the holdups they have, must be money. I look out to hear something along those lines in the not too far distance future," Hon Fahie said to listeners and substitute host Mr Natilio Wheatley aka Sowande Hururu, President of the Virgin Islands Party (VIP) of which Hon Fahie is Chairman.
NDP Gov't gets tough on BVI Airways
All hell broke loose recently when recently Miami International Airport announced that BVI Airways will commence flight on July 22 of this year. The flag carrier then fired off saying not so fast and accused the Maimi International Airport of jumping the gun.
BVI Airways then went on to throw blame at the feet of the Government of the Virgin Islands led by Premier and Minister of Finance Dr The Honourable D. Orlando Smith (AL) claiming they were the ones responsible for their setbacks in the first place.
Premier Smith was not going to have it left so and fired back, telling BVI Airways to get flying because the NDP administration fulfilled its financial obligation to them with the full disbursement of a $7M subsidy.
Subsequently, Honourable Fahie, who has always been critical of the BVI Airways deal and the proposed expansion of the Terrence B. Lettsome International Airport runway, was accused in sections of the media of flip flopping on his position.
Concerns
Last night he reiterated, "I have nothing against the direct flights to Miami. I think it's a good initiative but I always have concerns with how it is being done, I have concerns with how the contract is structured, I have concerns because if the public can get a hold on the agreement and read it I don't think that anyone out there in their right mind would not have concerns."
"But one of the concerns I have is the way it is structured. The question I have is even if it flies would it be sustainable based on what I am reading in the agreement."
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21 Responses to “‘It must be the money’ - Hon Fahie on BVI Airways flight hiccups”
Honduras (Roatan) - both smart and profitable routes. We are chasing a losing pipe-dream thinking that this will increase airlift. But for whom will it benefit since the tens of millions pumped into regional carriers by governments across the region have fallen flat and are indebted. So in the off-season whom will fill the seats of these old, high cost to maintain flights? I see that they can/may save some costs by refueling in MIA vs locally (SOL). Apart from that; will be cost prohibitive for majority of income earners especially when factoring in more than one person (family) flying in/out. The novelty will wear off quickly once sticker shock of prices are reflected and costs increase. IMO