Local News

400 Cheques Being Prepared For Payment to Former LIAT 1974 Limited Employees

06 January 2025
This content originally appeared on Antigua News Room.
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LIAT employees during union meeting in 2020

The government of Antigua and Barbuda has reiterated its commitment to covering 32% of severance payments for former LIAT employees, despite having no legal obligation to do so.

Prime Minister Gaston Browne described the decision as a demonstration of the administration’s compassionate and caring approach toward labor issues.

“We’ve made a full commitment to honor the gratuity payments, even though we had no legal liability,” Browne stated during a recent interview on Pointe FM.

He emphasized that the payments were a gesture of goodwill aimed at alleviating the hardships faced by the affected workers.

The Prime Minister confirmed that nearly $2 million had already been disbursed to the court-appointed administrator to facilitate the first tranche of payments. He noted that approximately 400 checks were being processed and that payments would commence shortly.

Reflecting on the demands from the Antigua and Barbuda Workers’ Union (ABWU) for the government to shoulder 100% of the liability, Browne questioned the fairness of such a request.

“The union and the United Progressive Party [UPP] were gaming the workers,” he said, adding that neither the union nor the opposition could have delivered on promises to pay the full amount.

According to the Prime Minister, the previous administration’s claims were politically motivated and impractical.

“Even in the unlikely event that they had won the last election, they wouldn’t have been able to raise $100 million to pay the workers,” he stated.

Browne highlighted the government’s track record of resolving issues affecting the nation’s workforce, citing its interventions in matters such as Jolly Beach and GPH, which ultimately contributed to record-breaking tourism numbers.

“We continue to show that we are a government that keeps its promises and cares for the people,” he remarked.

The Prime Minister encouraged stakeholders to recognize these efforts as a reflection of the administration’s commitment to social equity.

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