(Trinidad Express) Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley has asked why State-owned and subsidised Caribbean Airlines made a donation to the Children’s Life Fund, which was basically Government paying itself.
He was contributing to debate on the Finance (Supplementation and Validation) bill yesterday during debate in the Lower House, Tower D, International Waterfront Centre, Port of Spain.
He pointed out that Caribbean Airlines was the beneficiary of State subsidies of millions of dollars for airline fuel, “what the company cannot or will not pay”.
He said the airline’s chairman, George Nicholas, has boasted to the country that they have made a “humongous profit” for the fiscal year and as a result of that same profit, a US$5 million donation was made to the Children’s Life Fund which Government uses for “politicking”.
“Is Government money going into the Life Fund, is Government money going into the airline, the airline needs Government money to the tune of $64 million to put gas in the plane tank but the same company is finding US$5 million to hand back to the Government for the Children’s Life Fund. What games are we playing?” he said.
Members of the Opposition bench cried “shame” and “fraud” on the Government.
Rowley said the issue had nothing to with the rationale for the fund—it financially assists children who are in dire need of medical treatment abroad—but with the contributor.
He stressed that Caribbean Airlines had “no right” to make the contribution as it was on a “lifeline” from the Treasury.
Rowley said if Caribbean Airlines had profits it should be given to the Corporation Sole.
