Talpa: BWIA pilots loyal to company BY JUHEL BROWNE Guardian 06.12.03 Trinidad and Tobago Airline Pilots Association chairman Capt Rory Lewis has expressed the support of BWIA pilots for what he said was the Government's commitment to the airline even as Trade and Industry Minster Kenneth Valley told the carrier to cut labour costs or lose State financial support. In a press release, Lewis said: "We congratulate the Government for its commitment to the preservation of our national airline, and the pilots of BWIA confirm their loyalty to the company and their commitment to do all that is possible to restore viability to the operations. We are sure that, in the circumstances, this commitment is shared by all BWIA employees." The release also said Talpa has come out in support of Government's decision to assist BWIA in recovering from its present financial difficulties. On Monday, the Government's Intern-Ministerial Committee on BWIA, of which Valley is a member, told members of the BWIA Board it will have to reduce its labour cost if the State is to invest an additional money in cash-strapped airline. Valley had issued the ultimatum to the airline at last Thursday's post-Cabinet briefing. Valley said the BWIA management and the unions had until the end of this week to negotiate a plan to reduce labour expenses. The release said Lewis recounted the earlier months of 2003 when the pilots contributed the lion's share of employee savings through salary and work-rule concessions. "We are well on the way. What we need to do now is to meet with the Government, the new management and the advisors to discuss strategies for further cost reduction and, most important, revenue generation. BWIA employees, with their expertise and experience, have a lot to offer in these areas, and we have all been pushing for this since October last year," Lewis said. Lewis also asked the public to continue to support BWIA during the crucial summer season. Within the next four months BWIA must be able to meet a US$2.3 million monthly payments to its aircraft lessors, the International Leasing Finance Corporation or face a possible seizure of its aircraft. Government has assured ILFC it would guarantee the monthly payments if BWIA does not earn enough revenue before issuing its ultimatum to the airline last Thursday. *************************************************** The owner of Roger's Trinbago Site/TnTisland.com Roj (Roger James) escape email mailto:ejames@xxxxxxxxx Trinbago site: www.tntisland.com Carib Brass Ctn site www.tntisland.com/caribbeanbrassconnection/ Steel Expressions www.mts.net/~ejames/se/ Mas Site: www.tntisland.com/tntrecords/mas2003/ Site of the Week: http://www.natalielaughlin.com/ TnT Webdirectory: http://search.co.tt *********************************************************