Bridgetown.
Chairman of LIAT Jean Holder has warned that the opportunity cost of not having the airline are substantial.
Speaking to the press yesterday after a meeting of LIAT shareholders in Barbados, Holder said that the airline paid millions of dollars in taxes in Caribbean countries.
"If LIAT is shut down tomorrow you may think that the sharehoders have gotten rid of a problem but the opportunity cost of not having LIAT is quite substantial and people need to give it a lot of thought", Holder said.
He added that Caribbean Airlines fuel was heavily subsidised resulting in the airline paying an more than US$50 per barrel for jet fuel,while LIAT paid US$120 per barrel.
"LIAT has been the bus service of the Caribbean trying to make sure that every little country in the region gets air service", said Holder.
"A time will come when his will have to be review", Holder added.
