The government of Guyana has been asked to assist in reviving the operations of the regional airline, Leeward Islands Transport Services (LIAT).

Dr Irfaan Ali, Guyana’s president, said the country has not yet come to a decision on the matter.

Ali said the governments of Antigua and Barbuda and St Vincent and the Grenadines have been talking with his administration about a possible role in reviving the regional air carrier, which is an important part of regional transportation.

“They have asked us to be part of a solution. Of course, part of a solution might be looking at investment, looking at the outstanding debts to Guyana,” he said.

Ali advised that the two Eastern Caribbean countries have not yet decided what form Guyana’s assistance to the ailing regional carrier would take. 

He said that they “have not committed to any investment in LIAT at this time but, of course, we want to be part of a solution for regional air transport and regional maritime support”.

After having been grounded for several months in 2020 due to the adverse impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on top of an already terrible financial crisis, LIAT resumed operations in 2021 but on fewer routes. The carrier also owes severed workers more than US$2 million and creditors more than US$37 million.

LIAT is a regional airline headquartered in Antigua and Barbuda, which operated high-frequency inter-island scheduled services to 15 destinations in the Caribbean.