It's time to let it go...
The Gleaner reported this week that the divestment of Air Jamaica (or rather the lack thereof) has been the sticking point in negotiations between the Government of Jamaica and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The heart of the delay in divesting Air Jamaica I suspect is found in this quote from the Minister of Tourism:
Mr. Minister it is time to sell Air Jamaica in full. Too late for 'partnerships;' no more holding 30% ownership stake, no more insisting that the Air Jamaica name be kept; no more national airline. It's over. We had a great run having a national airline, but now its time to let go.A JIS release cited the tourism minister while he addressed a community meeting, shortly after attending the World Travel Market in the British city.
"We are working now to see if we can get partnerships to share in the cost of operating Air Jamaica. We have had some discussions but I think that those discussions have not quite materialised, so I think Air Jamaica is back on the market. We are still seeking to find a partner. We are not interested in selling off Air Jamaica in full. Jamaica will always maintain a significant interest in Air Jamaica but we need partnerships to keep the airline alive," he told the gathering.
