Columns
Jamaica for sale - cheap and quick!
HEART TO HEART
With Betty Ann Blaine
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Dear Reader,
At the rate at which the country is going, the government might as well string up a banner from one end of the island to the other with the words, "Jamaica for sale - cheap and quick". It must be obvious to all of us that our country is on the auction block, and it doesn't matter who or where the buyer comes from - so long as the sale is consummated - and consummated quickly.
Under the fluttering banner of divestment, the remaining vestiges of our national assets are now in the "Classifieds" - Air Jamaica, sugar factories operated by the Sugar Company of Jamaica, Jamaica Public Service Company, National Water Commission, the Port Authority, Norman Manley Airport... and the list goes on. It has left some people asking, "When is Jamaica House going to be up for sale?" As the government fine-tunes the specifics of the assortment of divestments, it is the impending sale of Air Jamaica that is now an extremely controversial topic. And rightly so.
As far as I am concerned, the story of Air Jamaica is more than a story about the sale of some aeroplanes and the stated imperatives of divestment procedures and protocols. The impending sale of Air Jamaica represents a much bigger story of how the country has been pawned and prostituted by successive administrations without any regard for the impact their decisions have, and will make on the present and future generations of Jamaicans.
The prime minister's address to parliament last week regarding the sale of our national airline left me wondering whose side he is really on. I'm not sure if he realised the great public relations job he has been doing for Caribbean Airlines. It seemed obvious to me that Mr Golding was doing more than selling Air Jamaica. He seemed to be making absolutely sure that nothing stands in the way of consummating the deal with Trinidad's Caribbean Airlines.
Let me be perfectly clear. We want Mr Golding to know that we understand how critical it is to lift the Air Jamaica burden off the backs of the Jamaican taxpayers. What many of us don't understand, however, is why more effort isn't being made to ensure that Air Jamaica remains in local hands, procedures and protocols, notwithstanding.
I have a difficulty accepting man-made faits accomplis cast in heavy cement when in fact it is the same men who are the designers and makers of both. While it is important to respect agreements and contracts, there are times when flexibility is required, especially when those negotiations are in the interest of an entire nation. Are we to accept without question that in the interest of the Jamaican people Bruce Golding and Patrick Manning could not arrive at some kind of compromise which would preserve the pride and integrity of the Trinidad negotiations, while respecting and honouring the wishes of large constituencies of Jamaican people, including, and especially the workers of Air Jamaica? For many Jamaicans, it is not just the fact that the airline has to be sold, but what irks them is the callous and indifferent manner in which Air Jamaica is being discounted to Trinidad. I would like to tell our prime minister that the country doesn't need a chief technocrat. What Jamaica needs at this critical juncture of the country's life is a chief patriot and a chief visionary.
What angers we most about the Air Jamaica giveaway to Trinidad is that it represents the latest chapter in the book of how a country and its people have been systematically dissected, dismantled and sold off piece by piece to foreigners. Jamaica's experience brings to mind the book, Things Fall Apart, by Nigerian novelist Chinua Achebe.
The argument that the Jamaica Airline Pilots' Association's proposal is not sustainable, is hypothetical at best and manipulative at worst. If the government sells Air Jamaica to JALPA and the airline's staff, like Pontius Pilate, it will simultaneously wash its hands off the Lovebird. If the airline flops after that, it's none of the government's business. My position is that if Air Jamaica must die, let it die after we have all put up a valiant and noble fight to keep it in Jamaican hands.
And JALPA's proposal, though said to be late (the association, however, claims that their bid was put in from August last year), is a well-thought out, thorough business plan with modest, yet clear projections and targets, and with both a short- and long-term plan to turn the airline around. In a country where nationalism is being exchanged for whatever is expedient, the voluntary use of the staff's redundancy payments to fund a portion of the airline's takeover is to my mind admirable and honourable. As I see it, if the staff of Air Jamaica is willing to make that kind of sacrifice for our country, the least the rest of us can do is to support them.
But perhaps the greatest tragedy of the Air Jamaica story is the way in which the issue has been distilled into a brainless and esoteric debate about procedures and protocols, when in fact it ought to be a broader and more open discussion about the past, present, and future of one of Jamaica's national treasures. It is a disgrace that we are about to dispose of Air Jamaica without the transparency and vigorous examination the matter deserves. There have been no public meetings held to discuss the matter and no public cost-benefit analysis done. The government is selling the airline with most of the information hidden from the people. But who cares, when the mantra is "Jamaica for Sale - cheap and quick"!
With love,
bab2609@yahoo.com
POST A COMMENT
You must first register and then login to be able to post a comment.
HOUSE RULES
1. We welcome reader comments on the top stories of the day. Some comments may be republished on the website or in the newspaper – email addresses will not be published.
2. Please understand that comments are moderated and it is not always possible to publish all that have been submitted. We will, however, try to publish comments that are representative of all received.
3. We ask that comments are civil and free of libellous or hateful material. Also please stick to the topic under discussion.
4. Please do not write in block capitals since this makes your comment hard to read.
5. Please don't use the comments to advertise. However, our advertising department can be more than accommodating if emailed: advertising@jamaicaobserver.com.
6. If readers wish to report offensive comments, suggest a correction or share a story then please email: community@jamaicaobserver.com.
7. Lastly, read our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy, and before commenting you need to register, conveniently, by clicking the link above.
2/17/2010
What is it about Air Jamaica being our National Pride it is just an airline just like any other , I am totally in agreement with my honorable prime minister to get Rid of it , not all Jamaican travel and I don’t see where the advantages of keeping Air Jamaica outweighed the Disadvantages , so I don’t see the big deal, it is costing us a lot of Money it is a Bankrupt business should have been liquidated long ago, it is not benefitting to all to us only hotel owners, let the hotel owners find their way out it shouldn't be at the cost of every Jamaican,
I am in belief if Jamaica is profitable and well sort after destination other airline will come here, so I don’t see why we should Keep a bankrupt airline.
I am confident in my Prime minister in what ever he does that Why we put him there, fair is fair the bidding process was open to every body so to divert from Caribbean airline will send the wrong signal about us doing business, I am all for the Pilots getting Air Jamaica but if the process is not in their favor, resort to plan B and start a new air Jamaica I am sure Caribbean air line not going to use Air Jamaica name.
Good luck pilots and you have the support of Jamaican people in what ever happens
2/17/2010
No one wants to have the taxpayer laden by an unnecessary burden, anymore than they already have been. It is also unfortunate that several previous administrations allowed Air Jamaica's debt to pass the US $1 billion mark.
However, reports state that Air Jamaica has had an operating profit, which contradicts claims that the airline cannot be profitable. The sale to Caribbean Airlines would leave potentially hundreds out of a job, thus causing a surge in unemployment. One has to ask as well, if Caribbean Airlines isn't merely in a bid to remove Air Jamaica as a competitor, as the name Air Jamaica could eventually be retired.
A good question that I have not seen being asked is that of the profitability of Caribbean Airlines itself, since this airline could itself be supported by tax dollars from the government of Trinidad and Tobago. In which case air Jamaica's future would be even more doubtful, as some Trinidadians have already voiced their own concerns about the sale.
Finally, the debt the government presently holds will still be in their hands after the sale to Caribbean Airlines, leaving the taxpayer to continue to support its financing regardless.
2/16/2010
I fully agree with Betty Ann Blaine; she is right! To those who believe Air Jamaica is a burden to the Jamaican economy, you are in perfect sinc with the rest of us, including MS Blaine, but she offers the alternative, which the government is busy ignoring. She also points out the burden they will have to face if they fail, and I will add, if they do, no bail out what-so-ever!
Who is there that will tell us that this deal with Trinidad will benifit us? For all I am concerned they may cut routes so that travelers who use Air Jamaica will end up looking for other airlines; I know I will be, and soon too. Right now flight from Toronto is slated to be cut to weekly flights; but who cares, not Bruce! It is sell, sell, sell!
We worry about an Airline and yet this government and successive governments keep selling our heriatage off. Our best beaches are practically foreign owned and ordinary Jamaicans cannot enter, the fishermen are being displaced, and in at least one instance Jamaicans are told to go else where to peddle their wares by a foreign owned hotel. And get this, the same hotel and the rest of them sells what they import. Jamaicans get shafted in that too because local industry in not encouraged.
Pretty soon Jamicans are going to have to pay rent for living in Jamaica. We will be told where to go and how far to stay. And if you think that this will not be think of what is going on in our tourist sector. One day we are going to need passports to go to the next part of island, if this sell off of our resources continue.
What is terrible depressing about this whole situation is that there is not one politician, no one, is standing up and talking out for us. We just go on as if all of this is progress. It is not! Go look at the terrible condition Kingston is in , and look at Port Antonio's main street, and go look around the country at the rot. And when you are done go take at look at the so called resort areas. See the difference? Why do you think Patterson build all those roads? to facilitate the tourist trade. The best roads are there, and in St Thomas the rot stinks to high heaven.
Our politicians, all of them, is a party to the failure to make Jamaica Jamaican and in doing so they reinforce the silly notion that Jamaicans cannot do anything. If you believe that then let us dismantle Jamaica and call ourselves something else. But then again maybe that is why we are having those sales.
2/16/2010
As a proud Jamaican I dont want to see Air J sold. I want Air J to stay in Jamaican hand. If all of us who talk so much about keeping Air J would buy shares in company when the Jamaican pilots takes over, how can it not succeed.
2/16/2010
Betty while I share your sentiments when it comes to running a any business where government in ay country and especially Jamaica profit is elusive. The culture in Jamaica is that once mi a get mi pay f....everything else, just like some of our teachers, police, nurse etc.
\remember that one Jamaica's most successful businessman tried to run the airline and could not do it. As a former employee I can tell you that every socalled politician and mr money want to travel on air jamaica for free. Just to prove how much Jamaican big wigs love the airline they waited until the 2 years passed before telling the government they want do business! This is typical of people who have never risked anything- the prevailing view at air jamaica is that the govt can't sell the airline so everything will be alright. Now that they realise that Golding is serious everyone bawling. The culture at air jamaica has always been crisis management. The fundamental problem is that people with money in this country don't have aproblem when taxpayers spend but when they are required to take some risk they spend too much time procrastinating.
2/16/2010
Who says CA is planning to take Air J's debt? Has that been confirmed? The J'can govt has been rather quiet about the details... classic puss in the bag situation.
2/16/2010
Ditto, R.Oscar Lofters. Well said !!
2/16/2010
Why should Jamaica keep something on its books that are a burden to society and tax payers????? Country pride will not pay for it, am I to believe that people are really suggesting that you should let a leech suck your bold, becuase it is Jamaican leech??? Mr. Golding is completely justified on the sale of the airlines to Trinidad and Tobago. You are not selling to a foreigner, its your neighbour! Why not allow someone who is cable of re-structuring to do so, for the growth of not only Trinidad and Tobago but the entire Caribbean, which includes Jamaica. It is for the reasons mentioned above that ideas such as CSME and other CARICOM goals cannot be achieved, why not have Caribbean pride? Caribbean Airlines has a history of good performance and therefore are a better option to people who will now be starting off, maybe in the future those pilots will be able to start their own airline, but it is the now, the future is left to be determined. The airline will not be Trinidad and Tobago airline, but Caribbean Airlines, this in itself is a step towards Caribbean unity. It opens the doors to many more options that can benefit the Caribbean and allow the world to see us as one united, our economies cannot stand on their own why not make a step towards some form of unity? Jamaica's motto is out of many one people, that should be the motto of the entire Caribbean!!
2/16/2010
The sale of Air Jamaica is a matter of economic imperative that cannot be encumbered by emotional considerations. The air line has been a tremendous drain on the tax payers of this country for decades. It has always been a losing enterprise. It is base arrogance by those who suggest that this economic drain should continue at the expense of the overburdened taxpayer. The Pilot Association will never be able to assume the debt of the air line without some government assurances. The people of Jamaica are the face of Jamaica not some bankrupt airline. Good riddance.
2/16/2010
You must first understand the Psychology of the Jamaican politicians in order to understand why they operate the way they do in Jamaica. The operate like this, me first, me second and me third, it is all about themselves. I am yet to see another set of self-serving politicians like the ones in Jamaica, the have zero interest in the development of Jamaica and its people. Yes, we know Air Jamaicas is, and has been losing money, but why refuse the offer to buy from its own citizens, is there more to this than what meets the eyes, Is this another one of those sweetheart deals, that if you sell locally it would be exposed, there is something amiss here. Because one would think, that if Jalpa demonstrates its fiscal ability to buy, then why would the government ignore them, the only thing I can think of is that we are, as always, in a heated rush to sell everything we have to foreigners, therby leaving the pople to the mercy of others. It does not have to be this we. We need a 'Political Makeover" in Jamaica, it is clear that none of these political leaders are the solution to the nations's problem.Read my book entiled 'Jamaica; A nation on edge", the solution to the crisis in Jamaica is carefully outlined in it, in language that everyone can read. Blessed Love
Richard Edwards New York City
Betterlifeforjamaicans@yahoo.com
2/16/2010
Excellent summation Mrs Blaine, i am having a hard time comprehending the terms and conditions under which the airline is being given away. If the pilots have the financial backing in the form of shadow investors sell it to them under the same conditions as Caribbean Airlines.
Whose interest will be served in selling out to the trinis, they are not too fond of advancing our cause as i understand it. The benefits to be gained from keeping the brand are not quantifiable. Dont forget as well the countless workers that would remain employed and their dependents.
Mr. Golding this needs a rethink, just sell under the condition that there will be no Gvt guarantees and it will be fine. Maybe it will do even better devoid of all the bureaucratic largesse that passed for management over the years
2/16/2010
very well thought out and written article.
2/16/2010
Quip that comes to mind: "Last one to leave the island, please turn off the lights!"
God help us!
2/16/2010
I really dont think jalpa can run air jamaica and make it profitable, but i dont see why they should not get a shot at it .My only thought is that the government is hiding something in the sale of the airline.Maybe they are telling us something while their is an ulterior motive.
2/16/2010
Full speed ahead. There is iceberg. Full speed ahead
2/16/2010
NICE PIECE BETTY-ANN, MY VIEWS EXACTLY AND THE THING THAT IRK ME ABOUT THIS PENDING DEAL IS THAT CARRIBEAN AIRLINES WANT GOLDING TO GET JAMAICAN TO BUY INTO THE IDEA OF CARRIBEAN AIRLINES AS OUR NATIONAL AIRLINE AND RESTRICT ANY JAMAICAN ENTITY WHO WOULD LIKE TO START
A NATIONAL AIRLINE IN JAMAICA. IF GOLDING ACCEPT THIS DEAL THE WAY IT IS RIGHT NOW IT WOULD BE BAD FOR JAMAICA IN THE LONG RUN. I FOR ONE WILL NOT ACCEPT CARRIBEAN AIRLINES AS MY NATIONAL CARRIER
2/16/2010
I just do not understand why successive governments seemingly have not faith in Jamaican fully own enterprises. One gets the impression that successive governments believe that, for a business to be successful in Jamaica, it must be owned by any one other than Jamaicans.
I urge to government to have more faith in, support and give priority to local investors such as the Jamaica Airline Pilots Association. Consider this; overseas investors are more likely to repatriate profits to their country of origin, Jamaicans investors on the other hand are less likely to (despite the fact that they sometimes do) send money out of the country.
The irony is that successive governments will go out of their way to support overseas investors, even at the expense of Jamaican Taxpayers, yet treat local entrepreneurs indifferently. Go figure! No wonder Jamaicans with MBA, Masters Degree etc. find it easier to migrate.
Can Jamaicans successfully own and operate business? Given the opportunity with adequate support, YES WE CAN!
Everton Bonner
2/16/2010
Betty Ann, the unfortunate answer to your question "When is Jamaica House going to be up for sale?" is that it has, in effect, already been sold. It is not plainly obvious that those in charge do not have the best interests of Jamaica and Jamaicans at heart; the interest lays elsewhere, having already been sold.
The building itself may still be on Jamaican soil, but the heart within is long gone.
2/16/2010
Ms Blaine, there was a website that was put up that invited bids for Air Jamaica. If I am not mistaken it was put up over a year ago. Why didn't the pilots come forward then? They didn't because they thought the GOJ would continue to fund AJ indefinately. Now that the Government is forced to shut AJ by the IMF you hear about their offer.
The website is: http://www.airjamaicatransaction.org
You say "The impending sale of Air Jamaica represents a much bigger story of how the country has been pawned and prostituted by successive administrations without any regard for the impact their decisions have, and will make on the present and future generations of Jamaicans."
Well the impact is the money used to prop up Air Jamaica will now be directed to useful things in Jamaica like healthcare and education. Do you realise that this airline owes over 1 billion American dollars? Do you know who will pay for this? It will be the generations of Jamaicans you are "looking out for".
What is the fixation of having a national airline? Where is it written that a nation's self worth is wrapped up in an airline? I for one I am glad that the GOJ is finally getting rid of AJ.
I will give you this though. I think that this agreement was not a good one. There was no need to designate CAL the national airline of Jamaica. This would seem to preclude another indigenous airline from forming in the future. If Jamaica is to take the debt, why is CAL being designated the national airline of Jamaica? Isn't this a good business move for CAL to move to Jamaica? So why did they have to be induced by giving them national carrier status? This is where you should be putting your pen, Ms Blaine.
2/16/2010
Many other mantras suggest themselves; "Jamaica for Long Lease-foreigners only" :" IMF-the government of Jamaica for 27 months"; "Finac Enquiry needs a bail-out";
JA Cynic
2/16/2010
I TOTALLY AGREE, WHAT REALLY BELONGS TO JAMAICA,WE HAVE SOME OF THE BEST MINDS ,HARD WORKING PEOPLE IN THE WORLD YET OUR SUCCESSIVE GOVERNMENTS HAVE SHOWED NO FAITH IN THE JAMAICAN PEOPLE , I THINK AS PUNISHMENT THE SHOULD RECITE THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE UNTIL IT STICKS AND WHAT IT REALLY MEANS.
2/16/2010
Excellent piece. Nowhere else in the Caribbean would a gov't 'sell out' without considering local interests first. This gov't has no sense of nationalism
Other Stories
Ready or not, a newer world emerges
2 comments
'My whole life ... shall be devoted to your service'
0 comments
4 comments
By his boards we know a minister
0 comments
Getting JEEP out of the showroom
17 comments
1 comments
Secularism engulfing the Western Hemisphere
13 comments
Kay Osborne ends her glorious TVJ innings
6 comments
0 comments
Credibility is crucial to politics
8 comments
Even the horses need a day off
5 comments
Good move to reintroduce civics in schools
15 comments
Balancing politics and patriotism
1 comments
Admit it when you are off base, Mr Christie
18 comments
The glass ceiling and Parliament
2 comments
AJ's plea reflects Jamaica's great need
5 comments
0 comments
2 comments
The CDB: Realities and challenges
0 comments
0 comments
RSS Feeds
