CAL chairman says all is well; airline operating with less bureaucracy

The Chairman of Caribbean Airlines (CAL) told reporters ion Tuesday bureaucracy at the state airline caused him to resign his position on August 16. However he said that matter has been sorted out and CAL is now operating with fewer bureaucratic hurdles to cross.

George Nicholas III made the comments at a news conference at Piarco.

When Nicholas resigned abruptly last month Transport Minister Devant Maharaj refused to accept his resignation.

He explained to journalists that he found it difficult to operate within the state sector and that prompted his decision to leave CAL.

"Coming from the private sector, there was a lot of bureaucracy and a lot of added bureaucracy which happened at that time," he stated.

"The Ministers intervened and we have found a way to allow this company to grow as a normal airline would, in the airline industry. It is very competitive.

"It is global aviation and it is hard to find an industry as competitive as global aviation. So we asked for it to be allowed to grow as an international company, to have as few limitations on our growth," Nicholas said.

However the CAL chairman acknowledged the airline's responsibility as a state organisation. "We do understand that...there are certain rules to follow and we will adhere to those. But we are in a competitive industry and the Minister understands that," Nicholas said.

He assured reporters that there is no conflict with the Board. He said since the minister's intervention in August there have been efforts to cut the bureaucracy.