BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - IT is not often one can hear that Prime Ministers across the region are requested to face check-in counters when they travel abroad, but those from Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) and St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) were forced to hightail it from the VIP Lounge to make their way to the counter in Guyana.
According to reports out of Guyana, Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves of SVG and Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell of T&T were forced to make their way to the check-in counter at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport in Guyana in order to confirm their board on an American Airlines flight to the United States en route to the Bahamas for the CARICOM Head of Government Meeting.
The duo was in Guyana for the International Energy Conference which opened yesterday (Feb. 14) in Georgetown.
In a statement issued today, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs laid the blame squarely on the doorsteps of American Airlines, apologizing for the embarrassment afforded to the Prime Ministers and the Government of Guyana.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation sincerely regrets the inconvenience caused to the Honourable Prime Ministers of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago on their departure from the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri on Wednesday February 15, 2023.
“All Government protocols were in place to facilitate their departure. Despite American Airlines having been written to, prior to the arrival of the Prime Ministers in Guyana, for them to be accorded the courtesies of check-in on departure from the VIP Lounge, the airline refused to acquiesce to the Ministry’s request and insisted that the Prime Ministers leave the Lounge to present themselves to the check-in counter.
“The Government of Guyana had previously protested this position taken by American Airlines against its own High and senior Government officials, but they have continued to pay scant regard to the Government’s requests for entitlements to the positions held to be respected.
“It is the Government’s intent to formally communicate its displeasure of this most recent action by the airline that has caused embarrassment not only nationally, but also to our regional friends,” the statement read.
The region has been plagued by intraregional connectivity and this latest debacle draws reference to the challenges facing citizens and residents when moving around.
