SLP says $6 Million
By Micah George

The opposition St. Lucia Labour Party yesterday applied pressure on Government and the Tourism Ministry in particular to reveal how much subsidy is being paid to American Airlines for that company’s three flights per week to St. Lucia by revealing its own figures.
Phillip J Pierre, former Tourism Minister under the previous administration and First Deputy Political Leader of the St. Lucia Labour Party yesterday said that the silence by Government on that issue has left him and others to speculate on a figure, however information reaching him indicates that over $6 million was spent to bring American Airlines direct flight from New York.
Adding that this may well explain the refusal of the Tourism Minister to provide this information to tax payers of this country, Pierre noted that such a refusal speaks highly of arrogance on the part of the Government.
Tourism Minister Chastanet has consistently said that his silence on the subject has nothing to do with disrespect to tax payers or any display of arrogance on the part of his Government but rather has everything to do with current negotiations with other airlines.

The Minister, who has spoken on that subject with reporters on several occasions, noted that the amount paid to American Airlines is being kept secret because should it be revealed negotiations with other airlines could be compromised.
The Government’s response to the people’s desire to know how much of their tax monies are being paid to American Airlines is indeed a fair response. However, how much longer would these negotiations continue? It has been months now since the deal with American Airlines was struck and negotiations with other airlines began.
Secondly, there is no reason why the Government cannot name the other airlines they are having negotiations with and how long they intend these negotiations to last?
The time is fast approaching when Government will not be able to use the negotiations with other airlines to conceal the amount they are paying American Airlines. When that time comes it’s anyone’s guess what other excuse, reasonable or unreasonable, that will be concocted.
It is only fair and in the spirit of transparency that more information is given to the public regarding the American Airlines deal, even though the amount is being kept secret.