Opposition leader Ralph Gonsalves has strongly rejected claims that his administration owed JetBlue $10 million, calling the assertions an outright falsehood and warning that attempts to renegotiate the airline’s contract could severely damage the local economy.
Speaking on his regular radio broadcast, Gonsalves addressed statements made by Tourism Minister Kishore Shallow, who recently claimed that the tourism authority under the ULP owed JetBlue $10 million as of October 2025.
Gonsalves explained that while regional governments commonly utilize revenue guarantees to secure airline services, the specific financial figures being cited do not match reality.
According to Gonsalves, revenue guarantees are standard agreements established with major airlines across several Caribbean nations, including St. Vincent, Barbados, Grenada, and St. Lucia. He pointed out that similar arrangements with American Airlines ultimately resulted in no payouts because the airline did not need to draw from the guarantee.
For JetBlue, the agreement operates on a yearly billing cycle. Gonsalves noted that October marked one year since the airline began its service to St. Vincent and the Grenadines. He explained that JetBlue’s initial claim for a loss in revenue at the start of the guarantee period was slightly over $2 million USD, which arose around the time of the election.
“It is a lie,” Gonsalves stated, emphasizing that the outstanding claims being circulated do not represent an active, unpaid court debt as suggested.
Gonsalves argued that the accusations regarding JetBlue were deliberately highlighted to distract the public from other aviation setbacks. Specifically, he accused Shallow of attempting to divert attention from the loss of Delta Air Lines’ service under his own watch.
In addition to disputing the debt figures, Gonsalves expressed deep concern over Shallow’s public comments regarding the nature of the JetBlue contract. Shallow reportedly questioned the agreement involving “Carlos James” labeling it as “unprofessional” and suggesting that JetBlue was taking advantage of the country, indicating an intention to renegotiate the terms.
Gonsalves warned that publicly criticizing the airline and attempting to force a renegotiation is a dangerous strategy. He explained that JetBlue could easily respond by scaling back its operations and reducing flights to lower the revenue guarantee.
“You know what that would mean?” Gonsalves warned. “Less people coming to stay in hotels, less business for taxis, and a drop in overall tourism numbers.”
